


Sway

by Agent99



Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And a lot of main baddies are still alive, Biggest Divergence is that Mount Massive wasn't burnt down, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, F/M, POV Alternating, Slightly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-01-16 12:47:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21271289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent99/pseuds/Agent99
Summary: Well-spoken and polite. Frighteningly unlike every other inmates you've seen in this first video. You continued watching carefully, realizing that the man with DID before was mentioning this new man when he said 'The Groom'. You stretched your shoulders as you watched Park's unfortunate capture commence, the shiver that tried to go down your spine remained directly at the base of your neck instead. The locker, the gas, it was obvious that The Groom was used to this by now, the capture and the torture. The camera roll goes black, the last image you saw was the man's face smiling into the locker Waylon was trapped in. Then the camera was placed to the side, away from the locker and facing away from what was happening with this psychopath and some other nameless, faceless victims. You closed your eyes but the screaming and gushing of blood and body parts were still deafening in your ears....When an FBI agent gets handed the Murkoff case, she begins to investigate the last undiscovered mysteries of Moint Massive Asylum. She gets much more than she bargained for. (Triggers at beginning of each chapter)





	1. Chapter 1

Out in the big bad world the most unexplainable things could happen. Mysteries that would always stay hidden in the corners of your eyes or kept unseen behind a curtain. It was heavy with hate and malice and frustration and feral brutality. That's what made you sit in your desk, eyes looking over transcript after transcript of these mysterious 'monsters' and events that existed just behind the walls of your office. You were FBI Agent Y/L/N, and you were about as low level as an actual agent could get while still having their own office away from the general public. You focused solely on curious events, or events that pushed past the laws of normal science or social norms. You weren't Mulder crazy, but about as close as one could get. You never seen an alien before, just people who didn't know morality or kindness. 

You dealt mostly with investigating cults and cult leaders. You usually catalogued the newest suspicious activity and handed it out to profilers and the directors of each unit within the FBI. You typically got the jobs no one wanted, and otherwise was forgotten under all the glam of being the hero. So you weren't surprised when one of the top agents from the social profiling department knocked on the door, a megawatt smile on his face and a manilla folder in his hand. "Hey there gorgeous, how's it down here in middle earth?" You simply put out your hand for the folder, but he kept it to himself for now. "Wait, I got a whole stack of liabilities I have to go through before I give this case out, so hear me out." You looked up from your paperwork and at Agent Conners, your eyes looking tired. He was a handsome, popular guy with deep tan skin and perfectly combed chocolate brown hair. He was only about two years older than you, but he had been put through the ringer enough times to make him look about 10 years your senior. And the heart throb of the upper floors. 

"I'm listening," you stated, giving him all your attention. He smiled at you and began. 

"Remember that fucking nightmare we had a couple years back? Murkoff. Well, we just got the actual jurisdiction of the case," at this point he handed you the folder and you took it as your interest was obviously peaked. You opened the folder to first see three discs; one labelled 'Park Incident', another disc titled 'Upshur Incident', then finally a disc titled 'Security Footage', and then a bunch of grainy photographs afterwards. "We've been asked to investigate Mount Massive Asylum. But the thing is--" 

"It's still infested with crazies," you state coolly, looking at him with a raised brow, "Would I have any back up?" 

"...No. We wanted to keep the situation as calm as possible, and the more people there are, the more likely we would have an incident. Murkoff had sent their own squad in to dispose of the patients and while they had been able to get rid of a lot of them, the team took more than it's fair share of casualties and didn't make it out," the agent stated with a grimace, "No one is forcing you to take this, but I thought with your success in Pensacola recently, you may want to keep your hot streak running. Plus you have the skills to keep yourself hidden, investigate, and then get the hell out." 

"What exactly are you guys hoping to find? The place was picked clean already by interested parties," you questioned him and he shrugged. 

"Anything worth interest. We are mostly interested in the company itself and if any information was left behind. Specifically any other locations or incidents that went off record," Conners leaned against your desk. "We can use the insight. And you'll be compensated for the risk and what not. But like I said, no one is forcing you. In fact I'm hoping you'll decline." 

"Why's that?" 

"So I don't have to be sick worrying about you," he stated honestly. "I don't like it at all, and the risk isn't worth the reward. Blah blah blah." Your features, which were up to this point looking a little cold, began to soften.

"You're sweet," you smiled at him warmly, "Let me do some research, and I'll let you know by tomorrow if I'm going to take the case." 

"You got it, beautiful." With that, Agent Conners left your office, quietly shutting the door behind him. You opened a drawer in your desk, grabbing a notebook and taking a pen from off your keyboard and began looking through the photographs one by one. Some were almost too fuzzy to make out. But they did show some key points. One; the asylum still had power running to it, showcased simply by the glow of lights coming from the grounds and out of windows. Two; the patient number still seemed to be more high than it was low. Some wondered the grounds, captured mid-motion when photographed. Three; There was still a violence issue. Pictures of windows splattered with new and old blood and even the spare body part. Four; Someone was feeding the inmates. This was common sense more than photographic evidence. If there were people, then there were two things in supply. Food and water. 

You separated the blurry pictures and placed them into their own pile before looking at the ones that were taken with a purpose. They were crisp and detailed, and mostly they showcased specific patients. Some had names written on the back of the image, none that you really recognized. And God... They were tortured souls. Men turned to monsters with forced facial deformities. How did some of them even eat? Even breath? You moved over to your notebook and made a quick scribble. _Medical Aid._

Some men still resembled men. They had scars but still clear features. Nose, eyes, mouth, ears. You never thought you would have to see if they had more of these features than they didn't. You finally see a picture of a man dressed differently than the rest. His clothes were sewn crudely, probably by him, and looked to be a forced sophisticated fashion. Probably to look more trustworthy. His features were scarred on the right side of his face, but from the picture you couldn't see what injury could have given those scars. His right eye was darkened and stood out with a red retina and bright blue iris. You turned the picture over and saw a question mark. You set the picture to the side before looking through the rest. 

Once you had finished with the photographs, you moved on to the discs. Your curiosity made you get started with the one labelled 'Park Incident' because it was the one everyone knew but only certain people had seen. You never thought to look it up, not needing to see a man being tortured, chased, and almost castrated to get your entertainment, but now it seemed like the most reasonable place to start. You popped the disc into your computer before grabbing your soda that was resting at the corner of your desk. The video starts abruptly, the camera switching on in some sort of dingy brown room. Alarms were going off. Waylon Park, a name almost famous now, was breathing heavily as he turned from one direction to another as the voices if inmates became loud, chaotic, saying vulgar and disgusting things already. You paused the video already, breathing deeply before peeking around your office. This was going to be a long and stressful day and it was only 10am. You stood up and moved out of the office. The video was paused for about ten minutes before you walked back in with an arm filled with snacks, and another arm filled with energy drinks, bottles of water, and cans of soda. You sat back down in your office chair and pressed play and completely immersed yourself in the video. 

...

You watch the cannibals, the smiling psychopaths, the hideous deformities, the disgusting sexual deviance, and most recently, the horrendous bodily experiments. God save these sick and disturbed men. You sit through the whole thing, and you didn't pause for almost every atrocity. However, a familiar face made you click the pause button. He was looking through the glass of a door, wide smile on his face. _Darling_. You picked up your pile of pictures and searched through them before finding the one of the man that had stuck out to you earlier. 

"There you are," you stated to yourself quietly and you turned the picture over and wrote the time in the video that he had made his dramatic entrance. You pressed play as you watched Park turn on his heel and run away as quickly as he could. 

_Did I frighten you? I'm awfully sorry, I didn't mean to.  
We've met before haven't we? I know I've seen your face._

Well-spoken and polite. Frighteningly unlike every other inmates you've seen in this first video. You continued watching carefully, realizing that the man with DID before was mentioning this new man when he said 'The Groom'. You stretched your shoulders as you watched Park's unfortunate capture commence, the shiver that tried to go down your spine remained directly at the base of your neck instead. The locker, the gas, it was obvious that The Groom was used to this by now, the capture and the torture. The camera roll goes black, the last image you saw was the man's face smiling into the locker Waylon was trapped in. Then the camera was placed to the side, away from the locker and facing away from what was happening with this psychopath and some other nameless, faceless victims. You closed your eyes but the screaming and gushing of blood and body parts were still deafening in your ears. Why did all his words sound so familiar? 

_Love isn't for everybody, darling._

You shake your head, kicking your feet up on to your desk and cross your arms over your chest as a way to show yourself that you're not effected by this demon in men's clothing. Finally a noise echoes through the room, a smash of something and the sound of weeping as a scramble happened afterwards. The camera is back in Park's hands and you are so happy for him. Thank god. Thank every god. And all the saints too. He wasn't about to lose his manhood to that psycho. The chase is on.

...

Somehow. Somehow, some way, some goddamned miracle, Park _didn't_ hang from that ceiling with all those bodies. Somehow he managed to wiggle and kick his way to freedom and in the process he had caused a makeshift trap to snap, and this raging psychopath was tangled in his own sick delusions. 

_We could have been beautiful._

There was true heartbreak in this sentence and when the camera panned up to show this person, it was visible that blood was dripping from his abdomen as an iron rod was protruding out the front of him. So... So he should be dead. You finished the video after this, watching all the way till the end. And when the camera roll went black it after the vision of the Wallrider was the last thing this camera saw. This was a mess. You pulled out your phone and called Agent Conners. After a few rings it picked up with a chipper "Hey gorgeous!"

"Hey um, so these pictures. They're old right?" 

"No? Those ones in the file were taken last month. Why?" 

"Just... I finished watching Park's video. There is someone in there that is definitely supposed to be dead. But his photograph is here," you picked up the picture of The Groom and looked at it. 

"I guess he must have survived. Know which one it is?" 

"Yeah, he was called The Groom. I don't have his actual name yet. I haven't gone through everything yet--" 

"Jesus Christ," Conners sighed quietly, the sound of a door shutting could be heard over the line. 

"Yeah." 

"Well, his real name is Edward Gluskin." 

"Gluskin... That sounds familiar." 

"It should. He was a serial killer in Manhattan."

The lightbulb clicked in your head, "Oh shit that's right. That's right. Jesus Christ." You wrote the name down on the back of the picture. Edward Gluskin.

"I don't think you should go if he's there. We should get a guy," Conners said quietly and you inhaled deeply. 

"He showed here that it doesn't matter it it's a woman or a man," you explained, "If anything it might be better for me because at least I don't have a dick or balls to be chopped off. I don't know." You sat back in your chair again, thinking everything over. "I'm going to watch the rest of the tapes. I'll call you when I'm done." You hung up the phone after he said his goodbyes. 

...

It was 7am the next morning, your eyes red from looking at a screen now for almost 24 hours. You sipped your energy drink as you watched the security tapes. It was a lot easier than the personal ones, your heart was sufficiently broken for the two men who had to go through all that trauma, the security tapes were cold with no personality, no feelings, no fear. You blinked as you watched as scientists fled and scattered when Wallrider had escaped, and watched as the inmates and staff alike were torn apart. But everything was purposely out of order, trying to make the tapes hard to understand. Probably a last ditch effort from Murkoff. You had to write everything down in the order you thought it was, and hope it was right. Towards the end of the video, it became sloppy in what it wanted to hide, because you watched the human experiments in short bursts. But you paused the tape when you watched a dark haired man slam into the glass where the scientists observed on their computers and in their safe little bubble. You got close to the screen as you stared at the man, almost completely nude save for a pair of white underwear. "Sonofabitch." You zoomed in and saw that, holy shit that was Gluskin! You looked at the blonde head he was talking to desperately and oh shit that was Waylon Park. This was only a little bit before the riot. So he had actually seen Park's face before. 

You finished the video and sighed as it was all over. Your mind and body was exhausted, but you had come to your decision. You pulled out your phone and called Conners. "Well good morning," his sleepy voice answered. 

"I'm going to take the case." 

The man sighed quietly and groaned as you imagined him sitting up in his bed. "Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Violence.

You had been dropped off about two miles away from Mount Massive Asylum, but you didn't really mind a little walk. It was safer that way. Less attention, less likelihood to be noticed. You had all black clothes from your shirt down to your boots. Over your shoulder is a backpack filled with two large thermoses of water, protein bars, a first aid kit, baby wipes to wash your face and hands with, your gun, and four changes of clothes. Clipped to your pants was a combat knife, just in case someone decided to grab you. The walk was quiet, eerie even. All around you was nothing but trees and sky. When you made it to the asylum, you looked at it with quiet awe. The place was huge and would be beautiful if it wasn't for it's bloody and disturbing past. The brown brick created towering buildings, windows lining each wall. You hopped the chainlink fence that surrounded the building, boots not making a sound against the stained ground. There were dusty vans parked all around, abandoned long ago, but one that seemed to be freshly arrived. It was stopped directly in front if the main entrance, back popped open but it was completely empty on the inside. You pulled out your phone and clicked a quick picture. No license plate or symbol of a company. Just a plain white van. You moved away from the main entrance and looked around until you saw what looked like a service entrance. Pulling it open, you were immediately greeted by the stench of death. Your hand covered your mouth instinctively, bile threatening to rise but you swallowed it down. There was only one thing that would help you and that was to try and get used to it. 

It was the scent of stale air, sitting water, growing moss, defecation, blood, and god only knows what else. A smell that simply cooked in summer and clung to the walls in the winter. It would never leave unless someone burnt the whole building to the ground. You stepped into the building and crept into the hall that the staff entrance led to. It was extremely quiet save for someone humming nearby. You took very small steps and saw a room that was open. You peeked inside and saw your first Variant. It was just someone staring at the floor and humming to himself, uncaring of your presence. He has probably been checked out for a while, simply sitting in stink and wasting away. You walked past the room and saw that the hallway was blocked off after about thirty feet. You peeked into several rooms before you saw an opened air shaft. You jumped up and climbed inside. Sliding along, you listened intently and didn't hear anything. You kicked out a grate and dropped down into a completely dark room save for shuttering, broken computer screens. You ducked down, taking a moment to go through the drawers and found that everything had already been cleaned out. You stayed ducked down and opened the door that led into the main hallway a tad and looked out with a careful eye. Not seeing or hearing anyone, you opened the door all the way and exited through it. All around... Everywhere there was just bodies. Some old. Some new. Different ages of decay littering the floor. You hustled across the floor to the room across from yours and opened the door and peeked inside. Blackness, no source of light whatsoever. You pulled out your phone and turned on your flash. But as the light illuminated the room, you heard crunching and chewing. Your hand immediately covers the flash but it's already too late as the sounds immediately stop. You hear shuffling and you don't move. You stay absolutely still as you hear feet and hands crawl across the ground towards you. Hearing him speaking to himself, but couldn't really understand what he was saying because they were mostly breathy whispers. He was directly in front of you soon and you still remained unmoved and felt his hand reach forward and touch your cheek carefully. "You are there..." He whispered. His breath made yours hitch and your stomach violently turn. It was scent of copper and spit. "You want something to eat? Are you hungry? I'll give you something to eat." His hand touched your cheek again and you quickly shook your head and the man tsked. It was unnerving that he was in front of you and you couldn't see him at all. "Fine, fine, fine, fine." With that he moved away, hands and feet shuffling across the ground. You quickly exited the room and shut the door with a snap. Your hand went to cover your mouth as you willed your body not to puke right then and there. It took all your strength to avoid spilling your guts but when you finally calmed down, you moved away from the door and the questionable meal behind it. 

...

You had descended the stairs to the basement, cut across the sewers, and down a hole in the wall, literally, where you posted up for a while to write down everything you had seen so far. You wrote it all in your notebook, pen scribbling across the page while you used the small bit of light you had peeking through the wall to make your sentences. Somehow, despite being completely overwhelmed by the scents and sights all around you, your stomach growled loudly. You pulled your bag off your shoulder and placed your notebook inside before pulling out a protein bar. You unwrapped it quietly and ate it in silence as you listened to all the sounds around you. It was water dripping, the occasional distant scream. You wondered why these patients had just been left to their own devices like this. Why hasn't someone packed them up and moved them elsewhere? Was it because the Wallrider still rested somewhere within the building? Was it because people feared the residents within it's walls? As you're thinking this, you hear footsteps approach where You are. First set of steps running desperately away from the thumping of another set. You pulled yourself tightly against the darkest corner of the hole you where in, making sure to have a firm footing so there were no accidental slips and letting whoever these two were that you were there. 

"Go away, go go go, please go away and leave me alone!" 

The footsteps run past you and you keep yourself pressed against the wall as the larger steps kept chase. You see the person run past you and you paused your breathing. A white, albiet it stained white, shirt and dark armbands. You held your breath and made absolutely no noise. As soon as you saw the body, it was gone. You breathed out quietly, still not moving. Of all the things you've already seen in this hell on earth, that little bit of cloth had made your eyes water slightly. You can't already be seeing him, he can't be just running around the building you were currently searching. You wiped your eyes before zipping up your backpack and crawling out of the wall. You quickly ran in the opposite direction as quietly as you could. Your boots didn't make a sound until you made it to pool of dark water, causing you to take slow wadding steps. 

...

You had found a quiet place again, sitting in the dark. It should be morning soon though, and that made you have the smallest bit of hope. Light meant you could see better. Which meant you could avoid people a lot better. But it also meant you could be seen easier too. You'd just have to continue to be careful, and keep your fear in check. Two close calls was two too many. You needed to check hallways better, use your senses better. You pulled your knees up and rested your forehead on them. You listened intently but closed your eyes for a little bit. 

Eddie walked back to his side of asylum, to his happiest little home, with his newest bride thrown over his shoulder. She had run herself silly so that when she had finally been within his reach, she was so easy to grab. Since the one who had gotten away, he had become meticulous when it came to love. But then again he should have been like that all the long. His feet carried him along the sewer's grated ground, much different then the thumping they had been when he first ran down the tunnels. So quiet that he couldn't even hear them. As he traveled down one specific tunnel, his feet rattled as they hit the metal grate that was beneath him now. He looked down for a moment, just taking his surroundings. He was about to look back up when he saw the smallest little fingers hanging out of a dark corner just below his feet. He turned and followed the fingers to a delicate wrist. He huffed his bride over his shoulder a little more so that his free hand could reach his back pocket. He pulled out a small flashlight, clicking it twice so that it was on the dimmest level and shone it into the small tunnel below and he saw a body under there, all tucked into themself, with only one arm, the one he followed, sticking out away from the rest of the limbs. Their face was covered by their arm and he realized they were sleeping. Leaning down quietly, he mused to himself about who they were. Obviously not a inmate in the all black clothing and the clean hair and fingernails. Maybe some staff member who somehow avoided bloodshed. They breathed deeply and moved their arm to reveal... Eddie's breath became caught in his throat as he looked upon her. Her features soft, porcelain smooth, and so very delicate. Her eyes were closed and unaware of his presence which gave him all the time in the world to adore her. He looked upon her cheek to see two lines of blood and like a sudden lightning bolt of jealousy pang through him. Someone touched his darling? His most precious treasure? It looked like it was smeared, like she tried to rub it off the best she could. Of course she did, she wouldn't want someone else to touch her. He watched as her fingers twitched gently, the beginnings of a dream? Or a nightmare. He stood back up to his full height and stepped off the grate, giving his sweet angel one last look before beginning to move away. While he kept the person on his shoulder close to him, though he knew he didn't really need her anymore. Not that he found someone so close to perfection. He moved away down the hallway, and left her to her slumber, wondering if maybe she was dreaming of him. Because he knew he would be dreaming of her. 

...

You awoke with a start, backing up in the grate as if backing away from a beast. However as you looked around there was no one there. You looked around carefully, opening the grate quietly and pulling yourself up and out of the little tunnel that pulled dirty water away from the building. You pulled your backpack up next and pulled out a change of clothes. Pulling on a tight fitting long sleeve shirt and a pair of black cargo pants and changing your socks before replacing your shoes back on your feet. Ditching the clothes in the tunnel, you began your track back up to the higher levels of the main building. As you began to take the stairs up you paused for a moment, turning around look behind you. You felt the back of your neck prickle as if someone was right behind you but when you studied the hallway, you saw no one. You shook your head to yourself and continued moving up the stairs. As expected, everything was quiet in the entryway. No variants wondering around, no noises, just simple quiet. It was a combination of terrifying and comforting. But you kept forward as you found your way up and began to check around the third floor. 

Most were offices, almost all of them either picked over or locked. Luckily, you knew how to pick locks. You began working on one door after another, opening up a new office every twenty minutes and searched through them. You found doctor's observation notes, schedule surgeries or tests, prescriptions, and most interesting, patient files. There were all sorts of criminally insane individuals that passed through these doors and were lost to the Murkoff company. With every new file you found, you placed them neatly in your backpack. While you were finding a lot in these locked rooms, it still was only the smallest of fractions that should be in there. Which you knew would be the case, but still, it was unsettling. You opened another locked door to see two corpses inside. You grimaced but continued inside. It was easy to see immediately that both bodies were one of Chris Walkers' victims. The heads had been brutally ripped off and you felt sick looking at their torn necks and splintered dried flesh. You searched through the desk but your head shot back up and looked at the doorway. Nothing there. You moved away from the desk while slamming the drawer shut, to hopefully be loud enough to intimidate whoever may be following you, but not to wake someone who may not be. Looking out in the hallway, you didn't see a soul, didn't hear even a whisper. Your eyes narrowed gently, however you moved back into the office and continued looking through the desks. 

After searching a number of desks and opening more than half of the rooms, you found a place to sit, back to the wall and eyes at the doorway, you drank some water and finished your protein bar from the day before. You had a feeling you were just being paranoid, but it really felt like someone had been staring at you since you woke up that day. And after seeing Gluskin for the first time the day before, you knew being paranoid was better than being dead. Grabbing one of your water bottles and chugging a quarter of it down, you put it away and continued searching. The day soon turned to the afternoon, which is when you abandoned the upstairs and went back down to the main lobby once again. The next day would be about male ward, then the female ward, then so on and so on until you reached the very end. And then after that you would get the hell out of there. As long as you can keep your interactions with the patients extremely limited, you would be fine. You began wondering the lower level again, seeing the remnants of the security room, completely busted with nto even a single light on the inside. Opening the door, you listened for a moment and heard nothing. Pulling out your phone, you turned the flash on and looked around briefly. Inside you see one blue folder. You pick it up and opened it to see a name. Edward Gluskin. You closed it and placed it into your backpack to read later when you weren't in complete darkness. You opened a locker and amazingly, surprising, found a still working flashlight. Well you hadn't brought one of the FBI issued ones because they were heavy metal ones that you didn't want to have on you. But this one was a plastic shake light. Where you shake it and it makes the light bulb work. You tested it out and realized how completely loud that fucking was. But the light shined bright and made you feel a little safer. You held it in your hand and used it to lead you deeper down the hallway. It was completely black. Either all the lights were broken or the electricity didn't work down the hallway. You find a locked door and pulled out your kit and worked on unlocking it but you quickly stand, grab your knife and turned around, jabbing directly behind you. You made solid contact and heard a cough with liquid bubbling up as the sound exited the person. You held them on the blade tightly before pulled the knife out and heard the body fall to the ground. You turned your flashlight to the ground, seeing a disfigured face looking up at the light. The body of this person with deathly emaciated, which was probably due to his mouth not existing on his face anymore. You leaned down, looking at the number on his jumpsuit before giving him a look filled with sadness. "I'm sorry." 

Hidden in the corners of the darkness stood Eddie, watching his darling look at the man she had just killed with remorse and care. She pulled out her notebook and wrote something down and it immediately reminded him of the whore who ran from him. Who almost killed him. But that whore didn't have even a sliver to compare to the angel who paid her respects to the man she had just killed so ruthlessly. Her flashlight illuminated her perfect features, the slight downturn of her lips, the way her eyelashes framed her beautiful eyes. He stayed in the darkness, knowing then that his treasure wouldn't be so easy just to grab and romance. She patted the dying man's hand before turning and continuing her work on the door. Once the lock clicked open, he moved out of sight. 

You felt that tingle at the back of your neck and you turned and shown your light down the hallway, but saw no one. You sighed quietly, feeling your nerves prickle and sting. But you moved into the office and began your search inside.

...

You moved back to main lobby where you saw some of the patients moving around. You quietly moved back to the third floor, where you see two patients wondering the new rooms that you had recently opened. It was nighttime again, which meant you had better find a place until the next day. You wanted to be as well rested as you could be when going into a place like the male ward. Finding a room with no windows, you move inside and lock the door. Your abdomen was sticky with the blood that came from that patient and you felt guilt cling to your back. But death had to be better than the life he had been living in this hell hole. Pulling out your water, you took a large drink before setting it next to you and you pulled out the folders that you hadn't gotten the chance to read in the darkness. It was only three, but it was enough to read before trying to get some sleep. The first was a printed email about an inmate who enjoyed fingerpainting. Reading it, it was almost strange how simple the request was. 'Just let the man finger paint'. You shook your head before putting the file away. The next one was about a list of prescriptions for a specific inmate and their overseeing doctor asking way exactly they were giving him that cocktail. When combined they could cause violent outbursts. You put that one away too then moved on to the one about Edward. 

Your eyes looked over the words carefully, seeing that this was a transcribe of a session Gluskin had when he had been transferred to Mount Massive. Basic questions just shy of 'so you're fucking crazy, huh?' He was a very corporative inmate, discussing questions easily and giving the doctors exactly what they wanted to know. But in the next page you also could read that temper you had seen in the video came out full force on the interviewer. Words like whores and sluts thrown out easily when describing his victims and why he had killed them. The doctor had explained that his mood swings were extremely dangerous, as well due to an abusive past, his violence can come and go when rejected. _Abusive Past?_ you wondered casually but when you were about to read further, you heard footsteps come up to the door. The doorknob jiggled but stopped abruptly. 

"Doctor, I have an appointment!" A voice called out loudly, angrily. You stayed silent, hearing the doorknob jiggling with more force than before. You reached into your backpack and pulled out your gun and aimed it at the door but didn't pull the trigger. "Hey, doc! Let me in!" The patient yelled loudly before you heard them run back, then forward and a loud bang echoed the office you were in. Another loud bang as the patient tried to force the door open. A third and a fourth, each hit becoming harder and harder with every new impact. You kept your gun up and aimed in the same spot. Another. Another. Another. But suddenly loud footsteps charged in the direction of the door but instead of hitting the door, loud steps ran full force at what you could only assume is the other patient. 

He had been infuriated that he couldn't watch his angel while she slept again, so angry in fact that he was about to break down the door himself. However when he saw that ugly, vain man at her doorstep, his anger redirected completely at this stranger trying to steal his treasure away. When Eddie charged at the other and hit him, he had completely knocked the other to the ground and his fists began flying at the other's face and neck. Each hit caused blood to come forward, more and more blood flooded the theif's features. His nose, his eyes, his teeth, his tongue. Each one of his senses began swell to hideous, bulbous bumps, bruising immediately. Eddie had remained terrifyingly silent throughout the entire experience, pupils dilated as his anger controlled his movements. 

"Wait!" Her voice came through the door. Her voice, oh her voice so sweet, so beautifully called out to him. His fist froze in the air as the sound struck him to his core. Would she speak again? Would she ask him to spare the intruder? Beg for his life? "It's okay." His head turned to the door, stained red and blue eyes looking at the almost broken wood. "Thank you. Thank you so much, but you don't have to do that anymore." He looked at the man on the ground. Blood leaked out of his mouth and his eyes were bugged out of the sockets. He was dead. Running his stained and bruised hands down his pants, he stood up slowly. He moved over to the door, his footsteps eerie in their silence. "Thank you. It's okay. I just want to sleep now. But thank you so much." 

This was a gift. A true and beautiful gift that his angel had bestowed upon him. His mind swirled with her words. Thank you, thank you she had said with so much earnest behind it. His hand reached out for the door, but he pulled it away gently. How he wished he could sleep beside his darling, hold her and protect her. But instead he moved away from the door with slow steps, before walking away from the door completely. 

You stood behind the door, gun pointed at the place you knew where his heart was. You knew it had to be Gluskin. It had to be with the way his feet had thundered down that hallway just like they had in the tunnel the night before. But since he didn't speak, you questioned yourself. He was a talker, a charmer. So if it was him, why hadn't he said anything? Either way, the last thing you needed was for him or any other psycho in this place to have some sort of protective crush on you. Releasing a breath, you lowered your arm and the gun rested at your hip. You'd be sleeping with it by your side for the rest of your time here.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Non-consensual touching

When you awoke you startled upwards, sitting straight forward and your hands braced yourself on the desk you had slept behind. You looked around the room and saw no one. Not a soul inside, and the door still locked. You fell back in the chair and sighed tiredly. You didn't change your clothes this morning. Other than the blood from the poor patient you had stabbed in the hall and dust from the abandoned rooms you had gone searching through, they were clean. They could last one more day. You pushed your hair out of your face before leaning forward and reaching into your backpack and pulled out the pack of baby wipes you had brought with you. You took two of the wet towels and used one to wipe your hands then wiped your face with the other. You zipped up your backpack and threw it over you shoulder with your gun safely tucked back inside. Unlocking the room, you opened it to peek out carefully, looking down the hallway both directions before looking at the floor. All you saw that showed that the altercation the patients had with one another was a large blood stain on the ground. You gave a shaky sigh, giving a silent thanks to whoever was nice enough to clean up the body. Heading the broken elevator, you head down the stairs and began your trek over to the Male's Ward.

The place is unnaturally dark. Even with early morning's light, the place was extremely fucking dark. Pulling out the flashlight, you shook it until the bulb glowed and pointed it down below and closed your eyes at the sight. The entire floor is just covered. With either blood or body parts or bodies in general. You hummed quietly, shaking your head. However directly down the middle of the massacre below was a straight line, parts and blood stepped into the floor. As if announcing his presence, you watched as a man walked on the line from one side of the set of cells to the other. You kneeled down before dropping down below, landing on something that made a disgusting 'squish' when your feet planted on it. You hear a thump. Hard and cracking against the concrete. You turned your flashlight and saw the man who had walked across the floor so many times he left a cut in the floor to slam his head into the concrete. Afterwards, he turned around and began walking towards you. You stepped out of his way and he continued to the other side where he repeated his ritual. You shone your flashlight on him and grimaced at the sight of him. His head was dented so deeply from all the damage that the only thing left was blackened scabs, red and brown stains from blood, and the skin had worn away so much that his skull was visible and even that was cracked deeply within it's white exterior. You said a small condolence to him before splitting off and beginning to check the cells as methodically as you had the offices the day before. You had a feeling the Murkoff's squad had begun the executions in this ward, pulling each patient out of their cell and ending them brutally before moving to the next. No cells were locked and all were completely empty. It was a complete waste of time. However you decided to take a moment from your schedule to walk beside this dead eyed man, not talking or touching him, just walking beside him. You were thinking, and you were trying to decide if you should just shoot him. It would be a mercy. You thought of him doing this forever. Never stopping until he hit his brain and died anyway. He was stuck on repeat and his brain was so beyond gone that if someone didn't stop him, this would be his eternity. However as you're thinking about this, you hear shuffling. You turn your light to the corner and you see a man completely bound walking towards you. You knew this one from Miles Upshur's video. This one followed you around, asking for friendship, talking of itches and silk. You greeted him, "Hello." 

"Hello, would you like to be friends?" 

"Of course. But I'll have to leave soon. Maybe you could keep him company," you suggested as you kept walking beside the brain dead one. 

"So silky," the other one stated and you smiled to yourself. The three of you walked together back and forth across the ward until finally you climbed back up to the second floor and moved into the next group of cells and began to search all over again. You heard the bound man talking to the brain dead one and felt a little better about leaving both of them alone in this pit of dead bodies and death. The day went slow just like the one before it and night came as you finished the last cell. You looked around and found yourself close to the sewers and decided spending another night there wouldn't be the worth thing in the world, and it connects straight to the female ward.

You used a manhole entrance, struggling to pull it open and even more so to shut it again behind you. You moved downward slowly, listening to see if you heard anything but was only greeted by the sound of water dripping. You continued downward and began to search for somewhere to sleep. But your options were extremely frustrating. The grates were soddered shut and the lights were bright and unwelcoming. You would rather die than sleep in one of the cells where all those dead bodies were, so you simply decided to keep looking until you found something suitable. 

An hour after getting down in the tunnels, you find a room that looked like it used to hold tools and such but was completely cleared out. You go in and shut the door behind you. You had to shake your flashlight because as soon as the door was shut it was pitch black inside. You maneuvered yourself against the back wall, using your backpack as a pillow for your back and sat against it and relaxed as much as you could. You kicked off your shoes and set them to the side and wiggled your toes and stretched them after a full day in them. Finally, you sat up for a second grabbed your gun from your backpack and set it in your lap before relaxing your back against the wall again. With one little shake of your flashlight, you set it up so it acted as a makeshift nightlight. Closing your eyes, you dozed off quickly to the sound of a dripping pipe somewhere. 

Eddie had been polite and left her to her work all day that day, avoiding her as he thought about her constantly. He had dreamed of her voice all night and then woke up to be thinking about her face, her hair, her body. He imagined what she would feel like around him. Would she accept him? Was she pure? Would she marry him, be with him and only him? So after two hours after he had watched her seclude herself in that little room, he wondered over. He shivered when he took the handle in his hand and pulled it open just an inch. He saw his angel curled up by herself, her head resting on her backpack, feet free of shoes but not her black socks, hair wild around her beautiful face. He opened it an inch more and the light shone in and illuminated his darling and she shone like a star to him. She didn't stir save but to tuck into herself a little and breath softly. She already felt so comfortable in his presence and he was just so proud of her. He kneeled down and moved a little closer to her, bruised fingers taking a moment to run up the side of her leg, tracing her calf with a feather touch, however he pulled his hand away when she gave a quiet sigh, telling him that he had disturbed her beauty sleep. A smile spread across Eddie's lips as he appreciated her voice once again. Such a simple sound but it made his love for her light up like Christmas. He reached over and took her flashlight into his hand and decided she wouldn't really need it once she was safely by his side and then took her shoes because once he had her in his arms, he would never put her down. He wished he could look through her bag, but then he would risk ending this beautiful scene of her in front of him. He leaned forward however, his large body shadowing over hers for a moment and he pressed his lips to her cheek and she sighed warmly. That glow of his love fanned in a flame. And one more kiss to her temple to help her have good dreams until he was sleeping by her side. After this, he backed out slowly, her shoes and flashlight in hand and he gently closed the door, only leaving it open a crack.

... 

You jolted awake as you had been the last few days, and your hand immediately went to your forehead. You had dreamed of the brain dead man, his clouded eyes and scabed face. You sighed, shuffling around the dark room looking for your flashlight but suddenly your hand stopped when you noticed the door was open. It was open. 

It was open. 

You didn't leave it open, you know you didn't. You looked around for your flashlight but gave up because it was gone. Then you looked for your shoes. Padding around the ground in front of you and then behind you. You sucked on your teeth as frustration settled in your bones. Someone took your fucking shoes. The flashlight you could survive. But you're fucking shoes? You cracked your neck as you shook off the current problem and searched around. When your hand touched cold metal, you sighed in relief. At least they hadn't taken your gun. You shoved everything into your backpack, peeled off your socks and put those in your bag as well and then pushed your way out of the room with your arms held out. "Very fucking funny!" You hollered out to nothing, cursing when you stepped into a cold puddle of water. You stomped through the sewer, partially because you were angry but also because it helped get you used to the feeling of everything cold on the concrete. You rolled up your cargo pants when you reached the tunnel to the female ward, and of course it was flooded. You walked through it carefully, the water causing your whole body to tense. You pulled your backpack around and pulled out your cellphone, turning on your flash and illuminating the tunnel and you had to control you stomach when you saw the water was a sickly maroon. You continued through it until you reached the end but when you walked to it you were suddenly shoved into the water by a heavy force. You immediately struggled as the force pushed you back into the tunnel and your phone was knocked out of your hand and into the water. You cursed but suddenly a hand wrapped around your throat and pushed your head under the water. You locked your mouth shut to keep your air in and your hands found your attacker's face. You felt staples all over the flesh under your fingers and had a hard time figuring out which feature is which. However you found the eyes and your thumbs pushed in with a sickening force and you felt a different warm liquid run down your hands. You lowered one hand to your belt and found your knife. You grabbed it tightly and rammed the blade upwards. The hand around your neck loosened and you kicked at their body forcefully. It immediately fell away and you surfaced, gasping greedily for air. You took a few large lung filling breathes before standing up. You looked around and couldn't see the light from your phone. Your hands were shaking, a mixture of fear, anger, and the freezing cold water soaking straight to the bone. You pushed the body of the now dead man out of the way and clawed out of the tunnel. Your hands were stuttering as you grasped around the darkness, searching for something solid to crawl up on. When you finally found some metal platform, you pulled your body up and wrapped your arms around yourself. You closed your eyes and pulled your wet backpack off your back and tossed it forward and continued clutching your sides. You breathed deeply, trying to slow down your racing heart. Well, you weren't dead, but you were pretty much stuck. You can't see in this kind of darkness, you're freezing cold, and everything in your backpack was probably soaked, and your phone was gone on top of your shoes and your flashlight being stolen. Now that was all in perspective, what were you going to do? You rested your forehead on your knees and listened closely to the sounds around you and heard none, just an unsettling silence that was attached to death. You couldn't even see his suit number. You kept your head tucked down for a long while, letting your body try to heat back up but it was basically pointless, you needed to get out of these clothes. But your other clothes were probably wet. Keep listening, keep thinking. It likely been an hour when you heard the sound of water moving and touching the walls. You look up to see a light moving towards you. 

"What do we have here?" 

The beam of light hid him, but you didn't need to see to know who it was. You kept your eyes on the beam of light as it got bigger and bigger. Until finally the beam was almost blinding you and you had to look away. 

"Are you lost, darling?" His voice was so nice that it was frightening, he lowers the light and you see him smiling at you. 

"Not lost, I just couldn't see," you admitted and his smile widened as you spoke to him, "You're Edward, right? Edward Gluskin?"

"Now how did you know that? That is me, but you can call me Eddie." He offered you his hand to help you up and you took it in your own. When you stood up, you realized how ridiculous you probably looked. Hair a mess, clothes a mess, no fucking shoes on. 

"It's my job to know," you gave the answer easily and he looked interested completely as you spoke, "Do you think you can help this lost lamb get to the Female Ward?"

"I would be honored to do so. I heard a struggle walking back to my little paradise and thought I would check it out. I see you didn't need much help though," he nodded towards the body floating in the water. You nodded and looked as well. 

"Give me just a moment," you hopped off the steel platform you were on and walked over to the body. Eddie followed you with the light. Pulling the body to you, you looked at the number on the jumpsuit. You repeated the number a few times to commit it to memory before walking back over to him and grabbing your backpack but he lifted it out of your hands and placed it on his shoulder. Your guard immediately flew up, but you had your knife still. If you needed to, you could use it. "Such a gentleman." 

"And this gentleman would love to know your name," he stated as he led the both of you forward and you took in his back. He was huge, tall and muscular with his black hair slicked back. You knew if things got physical... Well, you'd have to use that knife perfectly. 

"Y/N," you answered, only giving your first. 

"That is a lovely name!" 

A lovely name for his special treasure.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your incredibly kind comments! I was worried people wouldn't be interested in the fandom anymore but you all have proved me wrong. Thank you so so so so much!

He led you through tunnel after tunnel, and you briefly wondered if the man was leading you to somewhere not even on the map but you saw the words 'FEMALE WARD' spray painted in bright red. "Here you are, darling. Not so lost now, little lamb." 

"Thank you so much, Eddie. I couldn't have done it without you," you stated in relief, still very much on edge around him. However he passed your backpack over and you gratefully took it and shrugged it on your shoulder but you opened it and reached inside, "I know you guys have someone delivering food here, but I have these protein bars if you want a couple, to show my gratitude." 

"Please, your company was payment enough," he stated putting his hand up and pushing the bars away. With him standing so close and facing you, your eyes stared into his. It is hard to believe that the hemorrhaging in his eyes were so bad that they are still stained bright red, making him almost look demonic. His jawline was sharp and defined, as well as his long nose. If he wasn't a crazy person, he be a very attractive man. "But if you're wanting to show your gratitude, I would love a kiss." 

You have to make a quick decision, your mind turning over that idea. Rejection equals violence. Acceptance equals violence. You give a shy nod before putting your hand under his chin and turning his face. You gave a soft kiss on his cheekbone, under his blood red eye.

It took everything, **everything**, in him not to wrap her up in his arms and give her a kiss that would rival any romance movie he could think of. When her hand cupped his other cheek to hold him there, his whole body tingled and his head felt fuzzy. 

"Thank you again," you smiled at him before stepping away and he simply nodded like a dope. You were about to step away when he broke out of your spell. 

"Wait, do you not have a flashlight or something to help see in the darkness?" 

"My flashlight got stolen and my phone fell in the water," you answered honestly and in response he held out his own large and heavy metal flashlight. 

"You can use mine for now then, angel. Best to not let anyone sneak up on a beauty like you, lest you may find yourself a little worse than lost," he explained and smiled as you took the flashlight out of his hands. 

"Thank you, Eddie. Like a knight in shining armor," you turned after this and exited out of the large metal door and it shut behind you with a heavy 'thunk'. Once out of sight, Eddie put a hand over his heart as he thought about your lips on his cheek, in a way teasing him but also giving him so much more than he could have expected. Your lips had been so soft and warm despite your cold body and it made him wonder about the rest of your body. What's still hot under those wet clothes? That made his heart pound faster. And the way his angel spoke his name, so sweetly, so sincerely. And after seeing your clothes stuck to your frame, he realized that there is nothing he could do, no enhancement he could perform because you are his most perfect bride. The love of his life, the absolutely sweet affection he has never ever known. 

...

Once you walked through the female dorm, you found a place to hunker down and get changed. You opened a room with a large heater inside, it pumping out the smallest amount of warmth. Once you locked the door, you peeled off the wet clothes and set them directly on top of the heater. Surprise, surprise, your clothing inside your bag were soaked so you put them on the heater too. You pulled everything out of your bag and laid all the papers and your notebook and everything else out to dry, you then stood next to the heater in your bra and underwear, heating up your frozen skin. You sigh in content, proud of your choice to only kiss Eddie's cheek. That had been the best choice. You did it. But after being around him in person, you wonder why you had been so scared? He wasn't all that bad. Maybe because you were a female? Maybe he thought he needed to be more aggressive with the males? You thought about the sounds the men made when Eddie tried to make them 'perfect'. You couldn't be fooled, you wouldn't be fooled. Eddie was a monster, pure and fucking simple. You sat down on your butt, trying to pull your fingers through your hair since you didn't bother to bring a brush. You skin was feeling better, your mind was feeling clear. You rubbed your arms as you allowed your body to relax. That kiss wasn't even that big of a deal. 

...

That kiss was the most important thing that's ever happened in Eddie's life, it was obvious that his precious lamb loved him. Truly loved him. He felt it so deep inside him, he wanted to find you, hold you, and make you his. But he couldn't because you were better than anything he's ever done before. You were beautiful, you were kind, you listened to him, and you were light-hearted when you spoke to him, you weren't scared at him. What a gift. Truly what a gift. Meanwhile, he actually _was_ wondering the Female Ward. And he was trying to find you... Well, he would just see how it would go once he found you. Would he make up an excuse? Would he find you searching in your soaking wet clothes and have to tell you off? What if you got sick? What if you _died_? He just wouldn't know what to do. So he could go check on you, that's what a loving husband does. 

It didn't take long for him to walk around to see a light on in a room off to the side near the beginning of the cell block. This section was unsafe, a new wall seemed to crumble everyday. Yet you found a room already to recover in. He stood tall at the doorway. Should he knock? Should he have waited a little while? Should he have given you the chance to dry off? He just didn't know. He rose his hand, made a fist and knocked lightly. "Angel?" 

The voice made you tense up immediately, "I'm very sorry to bother you, but I saw two particularly violent twins heading in this direction and wanted to check on you," he lied coolly and easily, but you didn't know any better. You thought about the twins from Miles' video. 

"Well, another rescue by my shining knight. Thank you for telling me, Eddie." 

Your voice made a chill go down his spine. He smiled to himself, he rose a hand and let his fingers run down the wood of the door gently, "I'm happy to help. If you want I can keep you company, help keep you safe. I can even help you look around tomorrow too," he offered. He heard your soft footsteps come to the door. You opened it a crack and your eyes peeked out at him. They were such beautiful eyes. 

"I would but, well... You see I'm letting my clothes dry," you opened the door a little bit more but you stayed hidden behind it. It was enough to let him look inside to see, yes, your clothing were sitting along the furnace, "And I know it may seem silly to keep a little modesty in a place like this but--" 

"Ah, no I completely understand. Modesty is a virtue so little people have nowadays. I respect it greatly." You shut the door a little and peeked out again, this time enough for him to see your smile and your neck. You heard him give a small gasp, goodness was this man so animated, "That monster down below hurt your beautiful neck." One finger rose and ran along a bruise that was beginning to form. Your stomach lurched dramatically but you stayed composed. Rejection is violence. Acceptance is violence.

"Did he?" Goosebumps immediately rose against your flesh under his finger but he took away his hand too soon for him to notice. You rose a hand and put it around where the man had held you down earlier, "Well, it'll be okay. I won at least, right?" To think of you killing an innocent man as a victory made your stomach turn once again but you kept your gaze with him, "But, if you would like to help me tomorrow, I would really appreciate it. It'll be good to have a second pair of eyes anyway." 

"I'm looking forward to it then, little lamb!" With that, the large man turned away. You very quietly shut the door. Once he heard it click, his hand twitched as that jealous bubble moved up his stomach and to his fingers. Someone put their hand on his angel and he couldn't even make them pay for it. 

You locked the door before sighing to yourself quietly. You were digging yourself a hole and you knew that, but it seemed like this was the best way to keep yourself safe. You stood in the middle of the room with only your underwear on, and watched boredly as your clothing began to dry. 

... 

When you awake the next day, your hair is a mess of flyaways, one really defined cowlick, and it just wasn't the usual shape you combed it into every morning. You get dressed, this time wearing a black sweatshirt and thick workout leggings and your socks. You began to pack everything back up. The pages were rippled as the water had caused them to be misshapen, but surprisingly the ink had held strong on the pages. You thanked your lucky stars and packed all the papers away. Shouldering your backpack, you moved to the door and looked out carefully. Nothing moved, not even dust swirled in the early blue light of dawn. You shut the door of the room you had slept in and wondered the female cells. Or more specifically you were looking for a restroom. 

You wondered for a moment before seeing a sign leading to group showers. Not that you were about to even think about getting naked in a place like this, but you could use the water to get your hair a little bit under control. A little bit. You went to a working facet and turned it on. The water at first sputtered a disgusting brown color and it was ice cold. You wait for a moment, hand going under the water occasionally and felt the water warm up and it began to run clear. You took a hand and cupped some of the water into your knotted hair and used the warm water to pull out the some of the tangles and push it in proper direction. You didn't plan on getting it soaked though, so after cupping just a little more water into your locks, you then backed out and shook your hair out and continued to pull out the tangles. Leaving the bathroom, you moved back over to the room you had been staying in. Taking a seat on a nearby stair, you spent the next hour alone, pulling out your tangles carefully and listened to the asylum as it creaked and shuddered around you. 

You had the time to think, and your mind immediately stuck on Eddie. You thought about the way he acted. When you had watched Waylon's video, you had believed that Eddie was a demon, but after the completely different mannerisms he had when speaking with you, you believed he may be something even more sinister. The way he spoke so sweetly reminded you of men you have met your whole life. Snakes that slithered through the grass, looking for a bare ankle to latch on to. He loved too easily, he complimented too easily, he wanted something. It just gave you this overwhelming feeling that you were going to be tricked. You thought of his face and shook your head quietly, sigh leaving your lips. You just needed to keep your head on straight, you would be fine. After another hour, you finally get your hair to some sort of semblance of control. After you finally finished, you put your hands into your lap and looked off into space. Your mind drifted without much conscious thought really coming into play. It was almost like TV static echoed in your ears. You're not really sure how long you state out into space, but only really come out when suddenly you see a gloved hand wave in front of your eyes slowly. 

"Y/N?" 

You blinked your eyes with a flutter and you looked straight ahead to see glowing blue eyes looking at you, the red in the right eye startling you, but not enough to really cause you to scared. "Eddie. Sorry, I zoned out there for a minute." He hummed as he looked into your eyes and saw that your eyes were stained pink, the aftereffect of a sleepless night. 

"I was talking to you for a few minutes and you didn't answer. I was worried something may have happened," he explained, "have you eaten recently, angel?" You shook your head and he reached over and unzipped your backpack. His large body was leaned over yours, a towering shield for a moment. You felt his arm dig around and pull out two protein bars and one of your water bottles. "Eat these before we start your search. That way I'm not terribly nervous that you may fall or trip from hunger." You obdiently took the two bars and opened one and began eating it immediately. You basically inhaled it while he remained kneeled down in front of you, watching you eat before he moved to sit next to you on the stair. You opened the water and downed the rest of the bottle that you had saved. "Not too fast, or you'll feel sick." 

You nodded, lowering the water bottle and taking a deep breath. You opened the next protein bar and ate half of it before folding the wrapper over it and tossing it into your backpack. You grabbed your second bottle of water and took a healthy sip from it, swishing the water around your teeth and gums before swallowing. You sighed quietly before tossing the bottle back into your bag along with your trash. "Feel better, lamb?" 

"Much, thank you."

"Good, for a minute you looked like you belonged here in the asylum with us," he hummed a deep chuckle and it vibrated over you with it's bass. You keep thinking 'if he wasn't a psychopath, he'd be very attractive' but the more you think it, the more you really believe it. You smiled at him and nodded but didn't say anything else on the topic. "So what exactly are you looking for, darling? What could be worth your precious time and energy?" 

"Paperwork, files, anything with information on it," you explained, pointing at your backpack with a tilt of your head. "I bring them back, then we go from there." 

"What company do you work for?" 

You gavel a small laugh, "The FBI." He looked at you with weary eyes. For the first time, you saw him look nervous. "I'm not here for arresting the patients, Eddie. I'm hoping to get the Murkoff Company wiped off the map. They're the ones that need to be in jail. Wouldn't you agree?" 

"Yes... Yes, yes I would. Darling, you'd be a true saint if you were to end them." 

"They're some of the people I hate most in the world. Promise a good mental health care facility, say they're gonna help folks, but look at this place," your hand extended to motion to the ruins around you both, "They fucked you all over. If that means I've got to spend my time in this place, that's fine. I've been in worse." 

"So, you're really not here to take any of us in. Drag us away and lock away the key," he asked, a twinge of worry still in his voice. You looked at him, studying his scarred face before turning around and unzipping your backpack. You dug through the files you had in there until you found the one with his name. You held it up to him, extremely calm, very open. 

"That's a transcript of your entrance session. You had only been arrested about 3 months prior I think," you handed it out to him, "Maybe we can have some trust between us, Eddie. Maybe we could be friends?" The man looked at you with his off-putting eyes before he raised a hand and pushed the folder back down towards you. His features softened and he gave you a warm smile. 

"I trust you," even just saying those words made his heart patter like against his chest. "I believe you." He placed his hand out towards you, extended it out to you in a truce. It was stained hand. Scarred and dirty and just plain gross with mysterious stains but you put your own clean hand out and shook his. He held on to it for just a moment longer than he should have, but he let go afterwards and got up from the stair. "Let us go find some paperwork and get your beauty out of this hideous God forsaken hellhole." 

"Sounds good to me," you stated standing up and beginning to head down through the torn apart Female Ward. 

...

"Ah ha, look what we have here," Eddie stated with curiosity lacing his tone. You looked up briefly to see Eddie holding up a blue folder and looked back down as you worked to get a desk drawer unlocked. 

"What's it about?" 

"Let me see," Eddie flipped open the folder before snagging your now shared flashlight to read the typed up letter. "Seems to be about the Walrider Project." You hummed to acknowledge you were listening to him and he continued. "It's the patient numbers that lead up to William Hope's eventual possession. There are hundreds of names... And dates of death." As he finished saying these words, you pulled the desk drawer open. Looking inside, you see a folder with a drawstring around it, filled to the brim with paperwork. 

"Billy Hope was an extremely special case. He took to the nanites in The Swarm, though not without almost a year of suffering. The only person that took to it so well was..." As you snapped the elastic off and saw two names printed in dark black ink on the cover page. "Miles Upshur. Let me see the flashlight for a second." You put your hand out and Eddie delicately placed the heavy metal in your hand and you turned it around as you flipped through to the first page. Your eyes glanced through it before turning the page and turning the page again and again and again. "Sonofabitch." 

"What foul language for such a lovely young lady," Eddie tutted but you took in his words and rebuttled. 

"Like jinkies gang," you held up the file, "I think I found a clue." You grinned at him when he rolled his eyes. "We'll give the next set of cells over a look, but I think I just found everything I needed. I need a place with some light." 

"We do the next block over and then there will be a spot where you can settle until tomorrow, little lamb. But the next spot is terrifyingly grotesque. So if this all you need, then maybe you can just leave afterwards," he stated, that worry in his voice from before returned quietly. You thought on his words. He unzipped your backpack and put both of these new files carefully inside before closing  
8 it back up. 

"Anything that I can bring back will be an asset. Murkoff will have good lawyers, a team of them. We need to put up enough traps that they won't be able to get themself out of their own lies." 

"An FBI Agent's work is never done I suppose," he sighed audibly and you smiled. 

"You can say that again. If it wasn't for the fact that I love this job, I'd totally quit," you lead the way out of the room with the flashlight in your hand and began to walk down a set of stairs. "Want some water?" 

"No darling, I'm okay. You keep that water for yourself." You nodded but didn't move to grab your water. You both began searching the next set of cells meticulously, but don't find anything nearly as interesting as the jackpot you found earlier. When you searched everywhere you could think of, Eddie led you to the room he had mentioned earlier. He opened the door and inside warm light flooded the room. "Here we are, plenty of light." 

You nodded before pulling off your backpack and setting it and yourself on the floor. "Wanna see something really interesting?" Eddie nodded and you offered a piece of the floor next to you. He walked over, and from your place on the ground, he looked incredibly gigantic. But soon he sat down next to you and he wasn't as big anymore. He looked at you with interest as you pulled out the large folder you had found earlier. "Have you ever heard of The Pauls?" Eddie shook his head with an eyebrow raised, but didn't say anything. "That's okay, because you're not supposed to know they even exist. Basically there are these two partners Pauline Glick and Paul Marion, called The Pauls. They were Insurance Mitigation Officers for the Murkoff Corporation. But, damned if they didn't do so much more than avoid a couple claims and sweep an accident under the rug. They _were_ the rug. Anything Murkoff wanted off the record or dealt with silently, better believe our friends Marion and Glick here would do anything they asked them to do. Glick more than Marion." You ran your finger over his name and looked Eddie, "He tried to atone for his sins. Just a little too late. Let me show you an example that you'll recognize." 

You flipped through the folder, carefully taking in each picture until you found the one you were looking for. You scooted closer to him and held the folder between you both. The picture was of a large man with squinted and a torn up mouth. "Big piggy," was how Eddie recognized the man in the picture. Oh goodness, that's fucking adorable. You keep that in your own head but your lip turned up just a tad. 

"Chris Walker," you stated, not correcting him, but just giving a name to the face. "He had worked under Murkoff as a security guard in a asylum in Texas. Spindeltop. You remember the Hat Box murders?" Eddie shrugged at the mention, and you supposed serial killers don't really need to know about other serial killers. "Well, the Pauls had helped put someone behind bars, but it wasn't the right person. Chris Walker did those horrible things, and in return, Murkoff did horrible things to him." You began to flip through the folder once again. 

"I don't know what is right and wrong in that situation." Eddie watched as more pictures went past. More and more stories. 

"No one really does. We just know that Murkoff is going above the law and has below average morality. Even by business standards," you shook your head, "With all this, and everything else we've found, I may actually be able to do this." 

"You're very passionate." 

"Yeah well," you looked up at him, "After seeing this place, it's hard not to get passionate. And angry. Very very angry." 

"It's good to know we all have an angel looking out for us. Her beauty will shine on us wretched, and save us all." 

"I wouldn't go that far but--" you were interrupted by the sound of feet running past the door you and Eddie were behind. Your hand instinctively went to your throat. As if your fingers would be enough to protect you. "But-- uh. What was I saying?" 

"Nothing too important. That little scuffle really shook you up, didn't it, angel?" Eddie's voice was concerned but his lips were curled up in a smile. You felt your cheeks flush but you took your hand away. "It's okay. We are friends, so I won't let anyone hurt you. I wouldn't be able to bear it if someone were to touch you inappropriately." 

"I appreciate that Eddie, but remember, I'm the one with the gun," you teased in response, before a somber look fell over your beautiful eyes as they looked up at him. "That scuffle was scary. Wouldn't you have been scared?" 

"No, but that's because I'm a man, my love. He wouldn't have been attacked because of that anyway." 

The words 'my love' made your guard go way up but you chose not to say anything about it. "So you've never been scared before because you're a man?" A look passes over him. You had to keep yourself still despite the sudden desire to recoil away from him. There is anger in his eyes, and a hate running deep in his suddenly unfocused gaze. His stare is dangerous, however in the face of this danger you remember the violent temper you had seen, the mood swings that came so fiercely and so suddenly that it was hard to keep track of what to avoid and what not to avoid. You sighed gently and back tracked. Elegantly and gracefully. Turning your head away from him, you eyed your hands. "I guess you wouldn't have. You're tall and obviously very very strong. But I don't think all men are fearless and I don't think all women are scared. And you have to give me credit where credit is due. That guy is dead and I'm not." 

Eddie turned his gaze to you and you looked at him without any hesitation or fear. Your words from earlier echoed in your head. 'Some trust between us.' It was time to cash in that leap of faith in. "Or do you really believe I'm weak?" His face quickly and suddenly softened, haunting eyes wide as realization came over him. He had hurt his precious angel's feelings. His beautiful treasure wasn't weak, and that was obvious by the simple fact that she looked at him without so much as a flinch. And he had taken this gift for granted already. His hands quickly grabbed yours and held them tightly. 

"Of course not, my darling. You can not be weak! Only strength I see now, I'm sorry to say such a horrible thing," he stated and he sounded unbearably sincere. You let him hold your hands tightly, and took a look at his knuckles at this point. They were completely destroyed, cut, bruised, and one even looked dented in. 

"It's okay," you forgive him easily because you actually weren't upset to begin with. Because what he thought of you was so low on the list of things to care about, it only registered because it was unbelievably vain to state one had never been afraid once. "Did you get in a fight?" Your thumb gently tapped on one of the injured digits. Just a simple tap of your skin against his skin that you initiated but Eddie's mind was absolutely spinning. 

"Yes, I did. Someone made me upset," he stated simply. You rose a brow at him before tutting quietly. You released his hands and he looked slightly disappointed but watched with interest as you turned around and dragged your backpack over to the two of you. Opening it up, you pulled out a small square that was white metal. You opened it and set it to the side. He looked on with awe at the little but extensive first aid kit. "How many things do you have in this magical bag of yours?" 

You smiled at him gently, "I'm one of those people who likes to make sure they're prepared for anything and everything." You put out one hand, and he placed his gently against it. You noticed how large his hands were then, but it only made sense for how large he was. You take a moment to pull off the fingerless glove that hugged his hand and set it to the side. You dug through the kit and grabbed a grip of alcohol wipes. Opening up one, you ran its chilly wetness against his calloused skin. Your fingers lightly held on to his wrist as you cleaned everything. At one point you see his eye twitch coolly. "Does that hurt?" You pull your hand back and look at him. 

"It's okay, darling. Just a little sting," he assured you, not wanting you to stop. At all. So you continue to wipe off the the dirt and dried blood on the back of his hand then turned around and did the palm as well. 

"Give me the other one," you stated, letting go of his wrist and he switched out his hands obdiently. Resting his now oddly clean hand in his lap he began to watch you, completely enraptured with the sight of you tending to him. His heart was so warm and full by the fact that you cared. You actually cared. "You have to be more careful Eddie, you could get an infection and lose your hand or god knows what with how disgusting this place is.' 

"These little scrapes are nothing, little lamb. Don't you worry about a thing." 

"But they could be something with some of the... Fluids you may be coming into contact with, as well as the dust and mildew I know are brewing in every corner of every room," you explained, thinking of every gross possibility that could happen, and made a slight face and your shoulders shuddered a bit, "In any case, I'll wrap it up for you so you don't go septic." 

You both sat in silence after this while you began to wrap the first hand in gauze. He was a very cooperative patient. He moved his hand as you needed him too. He didn't complain or whine or anything, just sat there and watched you work. Occasionally you would look up and see his strong features were sat in an extremely relaxed expression. Very calm. "So, you can sew?" You motioned to his shirt and vest with your chin. "I'm pretty jealous, I always tried to learn, but I can't even sew a button on without it looking like a mess."

"My mother taught me when I was a child. She was tired of stitching my clothes back up so one day she brought out her sewing kit and she taught me how," he explained, a serene smile spreading across his face. 

"I always heard good things about boys who were close to their mothers. You must be a prime example of that," you pulled the end of the gauze tight on the last arm, looking at his hands. They looked pretty damn good, you'd have to tell the Director that that mandatory first aid class an amazing success. Even if you did use these skills on a convicted serial killer. You rolled up the gauze and placed it in the kit. When you looked up, you saw Eddie staring at you as if he was in awe. You searched his face, your nerves pickling at this look. "You okay?" Like pressing the 'restart' button on his thoughts, your words kickstarted him back into gear. 

"Ah, yes. I apologize. That was just--" he seemed to be thinking of words that refused to find his lips. "Ah, don't fret over it, darling. Why don't we just get you go to sleep. I'll keep a watchful eye out." He pulled on his gloves over the gauze after this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Graphic explanation of injury. Cannibalism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be my last upload until the new year! I hope everyone has a happy holiday and thank you all for your positive comments and kudos!

Eddie watched you as you did what seemed to be the shadow of your normal nightly routine. While in your actual home, you probably went through the full extent of the nighttime motions. You carefully run your fingers through your hair, pulling out whatever little knots you came across before tucking the strands behind your ears. Next to you was your ever faithful backpack, open so you could easily reach inside and grab things for this little ritual you have. Speaking of which, after finishing your hair you reached in and pulled out a small plastic package, which looked like cross between a plastic bag and a box. You pull back a sticker and reach into the box bag and pull out a couple wet sheets. Baby wipes, now he understands. The idea of babies made his whole body feel fuzzy very suddenly. But that feeling darkened. What if you have children? Or more specifically, what if you have children with _someone else_. 

"Do you have babies, little lamb?" 

"What?" You looked at him in confusion before realizing why he asked, "No, I don't. I just buy these whenever I go to investigate places. Probably wouldn't be very safe to try and shower in here," you smiled as you moved the wipe to your face and started cleaning away the dirt and dust that had collected on your features. He watched you in curiosity, eyes following your hand. "Do you want to use a couple?" You held out your other hand with the baby wipes sitting on your palm. He seemed to think on it before his newly wrapped hand went and pulled a few and began wiping his angular features with a careful hand. 

You both sat side by side and cleansed. Eddie's mind became immediately lost, as the asylum around him began to drift away and morph into something breathtaking. Into something that he has always wanted. He can see you, your hair perfectly clean and shiny, face glowing with health and light, brushing your teeth. It was always just that easy. Some simple mundane task that probably didn't mean anything to anyone, but to him, it's so peaceful and so beautiful. And he'd be washing his in the sink of your shared bathroom. Your home is bright and clean. You're safe away from all the bad things in this world that could take you, his angel, away from him. The children have gone to sleep, and soon so will the both of you, exhausted from running around and playing with them all day. When you look up at him, you smile with just a bit of minty foam at the corner of your mouth. God, you were his everything. His wife, his life, his love, the mother of his children. You were so important to him. 

"Wow, so that's a scar?" 

Your voice brought him hurtling back to the ground. You were pointing to a spot on your face, below your eye. What were you saying? 

"Did that happen when the accident with your eyes happened?" 

"What?" 

"This," your hand raised and touched his cheek, following the deep red line carefully. "Your tear trail." 

His heart saddened for a moment, "It's not coming off?" You watched as he took the wipe and scrubbed vigorously where he knew that deep red line was. Did he only think it was a blood trail too? You shook your head as your answer, feeling bad for mentioning it then. 

"I know it doesn't mean much but I actually really like," you stated shyly, and you actually did mean that. To his otherwise pale features, the line brought a sort of flaw that looked really wonderful. "It's very-- I don't know... Symbolic?" He looked at you, his face appearing fresh after years of dirt washed away to a clean visage. His strong eyebrow was raised. _Whoa_ you thought to yourself. Who knew all that handsome would be hiding under all that grime? "And I think you wear it well." 

"You really like it?" Not only was this question so honest, it was so vulnerable. 

"Yeah I really do, Eddie." 

He smiled gently before going back to cleaning his face. You turn away and do the same. After a few more moments of silence, you grabbed up the used wipes and placed them to the side before moving over to the wall. You sat down, pressing your back against the crumbling concrete and stretched your legs out in front of you. "Okay, I'm going to try to get some sleep. I want to be rested before we go to the prison block. I'm guessing it's going to be a little busier than the rest of the asylum." 

"I did tell you it was an unpleasant place," he explained quietly, moving to sit by the door. He followed her movements, leaning his back against the wall and stretching out his long legs. "I imagine we'll have more than our fair share of run-ins." 

"Well it's a good thing you'll be there to help me out again. Thanks again for today. I really appreciate it," you sighed quietly and he merely hummed in response. You crossed your arms over your chest and closed your eyes. For some reason you did feel more safe with him in there. You seemed to have wormed your way somewhere into his seemingly more innocent affections, whether that is an accurate assumption or a horrible mistake has yet to be seen. Taking a deep breath, you tried to soothe yourself into slumber. 

...

You wake up with a start, body kicking itself up and body shooting forward. You look around the room with worried eyes and just see Eddie with his head resting to the side, large arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed at his ankles. He looked like he was still sleeping so when he spoke, it startled you even more. 

"You have night terrors, darling? You were talking in your sleep," you jumped at his voice even though it was very soft and calm, the lingering sound of sleep held onto his tongue. You inhaled a deep sigh, putting a hand over your chest to relax.

"Yeah, I've been having them for a few months now," you explained simply, seeing no need in going into any further discussion about it, but apparently Eddie didn't share the sentiment. 

"What are they about? You know, the doctors here always said that talking about it might make you feel better." 

"Painful memories," is all you say before standing up from the wall. "Stuff I don't really want to talk about." This was the first time you've shut him out so coldly. He can't help but feel a twinge of anger building in him but he cools it when you walked over to the door, or more so him. You opened it and peeked out, looking at the window and seeing the pale blue morning start to greet them. "We should start heading over," you explained. Obviously so tired and just running on auto-pilot. 

"You know it's okay to sleep a little bit longer--" 

"I know, but I've found a lot of the patients here sleep during the day, run around at night," you answered coolly, trudging over to grab you bag and put it over your shoulder. Fuck worrying about your hair, fuck changing, fuck even wiping the sleepies out of your eyes. You didn't want to do any of it at that point. 

"My my, I didn't know you were going to be such a grump in the morning, darling. Maybe you should eat something and drink a little water," Eddie suggested calmly, smile in place on his lips as he finally opened one eye to peer at you. You grumbled, pulling your bag around and opening it quickly. You pulled out the half you hadn't finished the day before and a second unwrapped one. You moved over to Eddie and handed him the unwrapped one. He was about to push it away before you cut him off. 

"I have plenty more, Eddie and you haven't eaten. Please eat one." Well he supposed he couldn't argue and he also didn't really want to. So he took it from you and peeled it open. You looked at his face and had to remember that his face looked different after he cleaned it the night before. The same but different. Your sleepy brain was just having a hard time cooping with that. However you took a bite of your own bar and chewed in silence. Once you finished it, you grabbed your thermos of water and took a greedy sip before passing it over to him. He took it and sipped it as well. While he's doing this, you kneel down and rest your forehead on your knees, keeping your balance by putting your weight on your toes. You were just resting, and didn't move when you heard Eddie stand up. You stayed in this position for a second, eyes closed as you stretched. You then stood and reached your arms over your head and stretched as tall as you could, arms high above you as you stretched your arms. "Alright, let's get going." Lowering your arms, you wiped the sleepies out of your eyes. Eddie opened the door for you and peeked out, taking in everything. When he turned back in, he offered his arm to take the backpack. You agreed silently, reaching in and pulling out your gun and putting it in the waist band of your pants. "Since we're going to the prison block, I'd rather keep it on me," You explained even though you didn't have to. It was your gun. 

"A good plan, darling. I just want you to be safe," he stated honestly, taking your bag and securing it over his shoulder. "Now let's go ahead and get this over with and done."

...

When Eddie had opened the block's heavy metal door, you held the flashlight ahead of you and lit the way ahead of you both. You took a quick intake of air, heart slamming against your chest. You took a couple steps back and covered your mouth. Eddie simply looked at you, confused by your sudden reaction. But as you closed your eyes and focused on breathing he understood. The stench. The reek that exited that door must have been overpowering. Even he still caught whiffs of it whenever he would walk through and he had been in this place more times then he would care to count. So to your untrained senses, it was probably like walking straight into the first ring of hell. The stench of ferment and death. 

"Are you okay, lamb?" 

"No," you choked out tightly, trying to keep your mouth closed. 

"If you have what you need, then why don't you just leave?" You looked up at him through narrowed eyes. You already explained why to him, but when you see the concern creasing his brow, you relaxed as best as you could. 

"Because I need more. Just a little bit more. Those bastards are going to get away with everything if I don't find enough." You removed your hand slowly, swallowing down the bile and sick that threatened to spill out all over the place. "And I know there is something in here that'll lock them up for good." You took back the couple steps you had moved away from the door, eyes simply watering from the malicious odor that tried to take over your senses. "It's rancid," you stated quietly before taking the first step over the threshold with Eddie quickly in tow. The halls were circled with thick see-through plastic, keeping the ceiling and walls out of reach. You felt a little claustrophobic, making sure to stay five steps ahead of Eddie so that you at least had your own space between you both. You grab your flashlight and click it on, illuminating the grotesque mess that surrounded these clear plastic tubes. "Which way do you think first?" 

"Go left, there should be some patient... Rooms down there," he explained, voice pausing for a moment as he tried to think if 'room' was the right way to describe those places, those chairs, those straps. Room wasn't the right word at all. But it was all he had. "There may be some things worth looking at in those. But I should tell you something." You stopped, turned and looked at him to be greeted with bright blue orbs. 

"What's that?" 

"There is someone still wondering around down here. We must take caution, and not get lost, little lamb," Eddie explained, "He doesn't bother me, and leaves me be whenever I go through. So if you stay by me, you should be fine." 

"Okay, I can do that," you nodded in understanding and moved to the side so that Eddie could go ahead of you, "Lead the way." 

"Like a shepard leading his flock," he smiled and passed you, having to get really close to you while he did this, even brushing against you momentarily and you kept your eyes level with his chest. You didn't need some lovesick longing look, or any of his daring smiles. He was against you for only a moment, there and gone in a second flat. But you knew in his own delusions, something that small could mean something much much bigger. Yet when you finally looked up, he began to lead the way, and you couldn't help but be a little proud of him. No plans to make you perfect, no instance on marriage, no touching. He was doing a wonderful job. 

_Touched her._ He actually, finally, touched her. Their hearts were only mere inches away from one another. Through cloth and skin and sternum, he could swear he felt your heartbeat. Like a little bird fluttering in your chest, it beat its wings with joy to see him, to feel him. He had to take a deep breath when his back was away from you. He could just take you away, sweep you off your feet and to his little paradise. He could keep you. He could love you. And you could love him. But subconsciously, he had figured out that the way to keep you was for you to want to be beside him. He couldn't force a spirit like yours, or force some kind of awakening that you obviously were made for him. After another deep breath, he moved ahead and you followed him diligently. The stench was still overwhelming your senses, causing your eyes to water. However, you managed. Just like you always do. You swallowed your morals that had been itched into your mind since childhood. The need to feel and have empathy. You pushed away at your humanity, trying to forget that the dead bodies were even there. Just forced all of those normal people feelings down to the deepest parts of your heart to deal with later in your dreams. It was like hell here. Why hadn't they just burned this place to the ground and let the devil dance upon the ashes? You supposed you'd never really know. 

You come upon a door with a blinking light on the inside and Eddie opened it carefully. Your body shivered at the sight and closed your eyes as you looked away. Three corpses, each in the same level of decomposition. That stench. "I'm sorry Eddie, um..." Your hand grasped at the smallest piece of his sleeve, fingers holding onto his shirt as you tried to find your center. "Do you mind just--going in and checking around?" 

"Of course, darling. Won't take but a moment," he soothed warmly, large fingers patting your hand gently to get you to release him. You do so, your palm going over your mouth and you breathed in slowly to get your stomach to relax. You should have brought some Vicks. You would have been able to put it by your nostrils and the stench of death could atleast have a menthol lace over it. Then again, you didn't realize there would be anything this... Fresh. Even if Murkoff doesn't get completely annilated with legal fees and trails upon trails, the FBI needs to relocate all of the left over prisoners here. Somewhere where they can actually get help, both psychologically and physically. But, much like sick animals stuck in horrible zoos, you don't even think some would be able to survive the transition. Some probably too feral to put them into general population, even inside a facility. 

You kept trying to think about alternatives, however your thoughts were interrupted by sound of something buzzing and clicking in the distance. You backed into the room Eddie was in slowly, hand still cupped over your face to force out the smell as best you could and you felt Eddie stand up straight from searching as he also heard the sound. "Here, my darling. Just stay right beside me." You obeyed easily, didn't even argue it. Because if you could try to guess what that sound was; It was a bonesaw. Maybe a circular blade of a different variety, but it was something that could kill you easier then an unarmed inmate. The sound came closer for a moment, then began to disappear down some unseen hallway. "I don't like this, lamb, I'm getting... An odd feeling. Like something bad is going to happen."

Your mind whirled for a moment. Trying to think. He was right though. This didn't feel right. The air down the hallway is heavy and thick; An unspoken warning. "You're right." You sighed and turned to him. "You're right. We need to go." 

"Thank goodness. I'll lead us back out." You nodded and let him go ahead of you. But just as you reached the doorway, any and all sort of light that had been left cut off with a collective snap. 

She breathed through her nose in frustration, eyes not able to adjust to this kind of darkness, he was sure. But his angel was resourceful. "Let me see the backpack really quick?" He had shrugged it off and gently passed it to her in the dark. When he heard it unzip and her rummaging around inside, he felt himself surge with an unfamiliar pride. These little things she took her time with, how she remained cool under pressure... It made him wonder how she could be so different from every other woman he had ever met. Maybe she wasn't a sweet little lamb. Maybe she was actually a wolf... But how could that even make any sense? All women were soft, delicate, in need of a man's love and protection. But not you. 

You pulled out the flashlight Eddie had let you borrow and clicked it on. You shone the light ahead of the two of you, inspecting everything in a quick critical eye before shining it down the hallway. Nothing looked changed, it all uncomfortably silent and steady. You then turned to Eddie who gave a dazzling smile but your face fell suddenly. "Eddie--!" The large man was suddenly tossed to the side in a careless but forceful shove. And behind him was an extremely emaciated man, stark naked. The fact that he had even moved Eddie an inch was surprising, but to completely toss him to the side seemed some sort of miracle. But with Eddie suddenly out of his way, he took a menacingly close step to you. You backed up slowly, pulling your firearm out of you waistband and pointing it directly at the man's head.

"Back the fuck up, asshole." 

"Go ahead," this new man laughed, teeth rotten to their roots, darkened with decay. "You think death would be a threat in a place like this? I am so hungry, and it has been so long since I've had fresh meat." 

"Eddie, are you okay?" You asked over the man's shoulder and the man took another step closer, "**I said back up!**" you hissed loudly, teeth bared at the stranger. The sound of a the saw suddenly echoed down the hallway and it all clicked into place. You knew exactly who this was. 

"You're gorgeous. No wonder the Groom has you already," the man sniffed the air, "and you smell divine." 

"Eddie I'll come back, just stay put," you stated in a firm voice before you suddenly pocketed your gun and turned in the opposite direction and ran. Your legs started slow at first, taking the landscape into memory with the flashlight quickly spanning over every desk, chair, body, and anything else committed into memory. After the first lap around, you dropped the flashlight and kicked it to the side before running in the opposite direction. The cannibal, Frank was his name, stopped and looked at the light. 

"Smart..." The man voiced quietly before listening to the world around him and he stayed completely silent. He didn't dare move, nor even breath too loud to obscure his hearing. This little dish was a smart one, but no one can hide the pulse of blood from him. No one could fake courage, not with him. He could feel the heart rate beating out of control, he can feel his meat's tender muscles tense and contort as she tried to do... Something. What was she doing, his next hot meal? And that thought hit him deep. 

_ A gorgeous and delectable hot meal. A supple and filling dish. Finally, some meat._

He pulled out of his thoughts when he heard something clatter to the floor and he was gone in a flash. Hurrying down the hallway, Frank was like a ghost. How had he been moving so fast? You didn't know. You still didn't know. You were scrambling up an open air duct. However pushing yourself off the table had made your gun clatter to the floor. You forced yourself inside the duct however, leaving your one and only real lifeline discarded on the dirtied tile. You heard his thundering footsteps move up the hallway. You tucked every limb up, going flat on your belly and crawling forward slightly so your feet wouldn't be hanging out of the duct and then stayed completely still after this as you heard Frank enter the room. Despite your screaming lungs and howling heart, you remained completely silent. Breath coming in slow rhythmic inhales and exhales. Quiet. Tense and heavy silence echoed the room, save for the cannibal's then soft steps forward. 

"Gorgeous meat. My gorgeous, fresh meat." The man mumbled under his breath. The circular blade started suddenly, spinning with a menacing sound. "All mine." You felt the air shift suddenly, the tense aura turning to one of panic and you began to pull yourself along the metal interior of the vent but it was too late. The circular blade was suddenly shoved into the metal and easily sliced through it and went directly into the meat of your hip. You yelped in pain at the sudden tearing feeling of your flesh, grinding against the bone before to then began to move down your thigh. You tried to move but the excruciating agony kept you trapped in it's vice-like grip. Was this your death? 

That's what you kept thinking. A million times over as time seemed to pause. As everything seemed to stop in place as that thought just kept ringing in your ears. 

_Is this really how you were going to die?_

It must have been some burst of adrenalin. Some secret power you didn't know you had. The strength and dexterity of a God that had possessed you. Something, anything, you didn't know. However it gave you a moment of clarity, a second to think. If you allowed the blade to continue downward towards the feet, it would hit your knee cap. Crippling you, probably permanently. If you didn't die from the bloodloss. Risk leaning to the side, the blade is dangerously close to the femoral artery. Instant death if the blade sliced through it. Try to slide backwards, the blade would your stomach. Tear apart your insides. There were only two options left. Up was out because there wasn't enough room to avoid coming into contact with the blade again. You suppose there is really only one option. 

_Down_. 

You needed to go down. 

Everything rushed together, all your senses collecting together as your thoughts landed on the solution. You felt the blade approaching your kneecap, the fire of pain engulfing every nerve-ending in your body. You yelled out in a mixture of frustration and concentration, before you lifted your other leg as high as you could and slammed it down on to the vent's metal below you. It didn't work on first attempt though it rattled, showing the metal's age and lack of care. You did it twice more in quick succession, and the metal gave way with a loud clang. You fell to the ground in an disgraceful mess of limbs, blood, and dust. 

You immediately used your hands to pull yourself away from the cannibal, who was currently pushing the sheet of rusted metal away from him with a loud huff. Your hands patted along tile quickly as they felt around on the ground desperately, trying to find your gun but blood was making it's way across the tile floor and making it increasingly difficult as your hands and foot slipped away from you. 

God the pain. This pain was unlike any you had ever known, radiating in insistent waves. _Feel me_ they said. Your pride had allowed you to take this case and your punishment was delivered in the form of torn muscle and furious wounds. You felt Frank take a step towards you, his own foot slipping in the blood but he couldn't help the giggles that erupted from his mouth at this fact before he took a deep inhale through his teeth and a serious air took over his tone. "I won't waste a single bite of my meal, I promise." Your hands still padded along the tile, panic setting over you with each passing feel. Where was it? Where was your fucking gun! Another step Frank stole towards you. The sound of a moan as he sniffed the air and took in the scent of your death. It was coming in soon. He'd have his most beautiful, filling, delicious treat. Your defeat was harrowing when he took a heavy step on your injured leg. You let out a cry of pain at the pressure, feeling the disgusting sensation of the torn skin pushing together before pulling apart. And the circular blade started to spin again, the grinding sound making tears spring to your eyes and fall to down your cheeks. You kept trying to pull yourself away but got no traction, no grip on the slippery floor beneath you. Long fingers suddenly tangled in your hair and pulled your head back with force and you felt the slight wind the spinning saw was creating. 

Your mind dangerously, signalling that you may be passed out by the time you even got to the finish line of Frank's little game. At least then you wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment of this. To become food for a cannibal. Consumed and shat out by another human being. As your eyes were fluttering shut, Frank suddenly released his grip on your hair and your head fell forward and hit the tile. You blinked open your eyes and saw a light shining into the room with a erratic movement. A struggle was happening? What was happening? Why can't you hear anything? You push your body up carefully. You had to use your forearms and elbows to brace your upper half. You looked around to see Frank being pushed to the ground, large hulking mass staring menacingly at the cannibal devil, eyes bright in the flashlight harsh white glow. Blue eyes. You hands balled up into fists and you rest your forehead on them like a pillow for a moment. Grateful, so very grateful for the man in self-tailored cloth and a temper that rivaled yours. 

You looked up from your fists to see the black metal of your gun. You crawled forward, mind dizzy still but you had your mind about you enough to see Eddie suddenly falling to his knees and his arms raised as he began to punch Frank within what you imagined was an inch of his life. Your hearing still evaded you, so you didn't hear the words Eddie was likely screaming at Frank. And boy, was he screaming. Words of hate. Words of hurt. Each fist he threw slammed directly into Frank's mouth and nose, bashing. He precious angel. His beautiful treasure. This bastard thought he could hurt his darling. And Eddie would show him exactly why Frank, of all fucking people, wouldn't touch his future wife. He couldn't even keep count of how many times he hit this monster's face, but only knew that he stopped when he heard his sweet angel speak to him in a voice that was hoarse and still sounded so panicked. 

"Eddie, help me up... please," you asked weakly, gun now securely in your fingers and when he turned the flashlight to look at you, his heart broke. His sweet girl had tears dropping off her face and blood soaked clothes. He basically jumped off Frank, leaving the man a twitching, bleeding mess. His strong arms quickly scooped you up, trying his best to help you stand on both your legs, but of course the damaged one completely refused to take weight. You assume that he doesn't truly understand the extensive damage your leg just took. You threw an arm around his shoulder and allowed him to act as your right leg while your left one stood firmly on the ground. "Help me over to Frank." 

Eddie obeyed, easily in fact, but mostly because you think he understood exactly what you had planned. He helped you to where Frank laid on the ground. You gave Eddie a pat on his shoulder before using a nearby counter as support. "Frank, I just want you to know one thing before I kill you," you explained, raising your gun and aimed it for directly between Frank's green eyes. "I would have been fucking delicious." You took the shot, Frank slamming into the ground with the impact of the bullet. You kept your arm raised, looking at him with disgust and detest in your gaze before, surprisingly, you shot the man again. And again. And again. You unloaded a whole clip into the cannibal at your feet (foot, you supposed) and watched with hate-filled eyes as his blood bubbled out of every new hole you pumped him with. You finally lower your weapon and drop it to the counter. Eddie watched with worry as you tried to move and it was obvious how badly it hurt to do so. You motioned for the tall man to lean down and he immediately did so. And you surprised him yet again as your arms snaked around his neck and you pulled him in for a tight hug. Or atleast as tightly as you could muster. He was shocked, completely and utterly shocked, by your sudden show of affection. However, his arms hugged around your waist and pulled you close to him. 

"Thank you Eddie, thank you so much," you cried into his shoulder, tucking your face into his dirty clothes and didn't even think twice at how filthy they probably were. He hushed you, hand going over to your hair and smoothing down the knotted sections from Frank's rough hand. "You saved me." 

"Hush now, darling. I wouldn't dare let you be lost, my little lamb." 

You held onto him tightly for a few more moments. His strong embrace begins to ground you. It hurts, it hurts so bad, but your hearing is beginning to come back in. Awareness of your surroundings was becoming much clearer. The fog was beginning to lift. And that just made things so much more real. Excruciating. If you ever left this asylum, you wouldn't be able to work these kinds of cases anymore. Hell you'd be lucky if you could walk without cane. The damage is done but the future was now moving at a rapid pace. Unseen and unknown. You had always had some sort of direction to move in. Now you didn't even know if you make it through the night. "Eddie, I need to leave this place." You stated softly, speaking into the fabric of his shirt. You felt him tense at your words and you did the same, gripping his shirt tightly. Your fingers grabbed onto the cloth as you kept him close to you. 

No. _No no no no no_. He can't be given the gift of your embrace only for it to all be taken away again. He can't lose this, not so quickly. But she continued to speak soft words in his shirt. "If I don't leave, I'll die." No, he didn't want that either! Why did it only have to be those two options? You felt his breathing get erratic, chest heaving as panic suddenly set in. "Eddie." You pulled back from him and some place in him allowed you to do so. Your hand raised and cupped his incredibly defined cheek. Your own blood stained his pale flesh. "I do owe you my life. Anything I can do, anything I can give. It's yours." 

"You." He stated brazenly, those haunting and damaged eyes looking straight into yours. "I want you." 

"Then you can have me. I'll be your love. I'll be your wife. But I have to go first. I'll help both of us get out and you can come find me," you stated quickly, but he was already shaking. 

"No, you'll hide from me. Like the rest of those harlets," he spat out, voice laced with anger and hurt, face turning away from you but your other hand went up and turned his face back to you. 

"I will not hide. I'll give you my address, my phone number, everything so that we can stay in contact till you come home to me," you breathed out, body still radiating that pain. Though to Eddie, it didn't sound like a exhale of pain. But instead a loving whisper. A promise. To be his and only his. And he would be hers and only hers. He loved her, he truly knew that then. He loved this angel of his, his most sparkling treasure. With her cheeks pink, mouth slightly open as he gazed deep into her eyes. Love and lust for his beautiful wife. "You can call me as soon as you get to somewhere safe." 

"You won't--" 

"I **will**," you confirmed with a snippy tone and your fingers dug into his flesh but you relaxed quickly again. "I don't break promises. I will never break promises. Breaking a promise makes me sick. And I'm promising to be yours. If you'll still want me once you get outside this place," you gave a sad smile, shoulders moving up in a slight shrug. That idea made a pit of anger hit his stomach. 

"Of course I would!" You flinched back at his sudden emotion, the way those blue eyes went wide with slight fury. This small little movement made him immediately cool these fiery feelings. He didn't want to scare his treasure away, not when she was offering... Herself. Her love. One of his large hands came up and cradled your face and you relaxed into the touch. Because even if this maniac partially got you into this mess, you weren't about to turn down a soft caress. Not when you were hurting this bad. A large thumb went across your cheek to push back those tear stains, he hated those tear stains. His voice released a soft sigh before he repeated himself. "Of course I would, my darling. Don't say such a horrible thing." You stayed in his hold, keeping a tight grasp on him as he turned the thought over in his mind. You led yourself into his embrace, body shivering. For some reason. Maybe you were going into shock? Maybe you were already septic. You rested your chin on his large shoulder, eyes staring out into the dark hallway. Your fingers gripped the fabric of his vest. And you waited. Waited to let this _fucking maniac_ decide what your future would hold. Waited for this _man_ to decide your life for you. Your fingers flexed at the thought. A motion that Eddie completely misinterpreted as a cry for help. "You will wait for my call, darling? You won't hide from me?" 

"No I won't," you stated with a sigh of relief, forehead leaning to rest on top of his shoulder. However you yelped loudly as he suddenly picked you up. Your leg usually dangled over his forearm, the sensation making your stomach twirl. You can feel the pain but you can't move your leg. You swallowed down the vomit that threatened to spill over your lips. Fresh tears rolled down your cheeks as you moved to look into his blood-spattered face. "Will you help me, Eddie?" The words hung over the two of you, circling about like the beginning of a hurricane. Those startling eyes studied you and you studied him back with eyes that looked dull and weak. 

"Yes, darling. I will." 

You blinked in surprise before you wrapped your arms around him once again and rested your head on top of us. "Thank you," you hummed quietly, eyes closing as he began to walk out the room into the hallway. "Thank you so much." However, you had your hope and joy pushed aside to remain alert and aware. You weren't going to believe his words until you were out the door and in the van to take you home.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Description of wounds, use of misogynistic terms and ideals. 
> 
> Thank you all again for the wonderful comments and love! I hope you all have had a pleasant holiday and new year!

The walk through the asylum was long. Painful for you but it was obvious that Eddie was in heaven. He carried you like you were nothing, elated that his arms were wrapped around you, that his fingers dug into your softness. His mouth wasn't exactly smiling, but his eyes were. He was acting like the snake he was. His face resting in constant worry. But you knew this devil wasn't concerned in the slightest. He knew in this game, he was winning. Your stomach turned and tossed whatever water and protein bar was left in it. Your leg swayed back and forth, just useless weight at this point. You wouldn't be surprised if a doctor suggested to chop it off once you got back home... If you got back home. It was a hollowing thought. You may not make it out of Eddy's sanctum alive. He may rear back that ugly personality once he had you within his web, and if that was the case, you already knew what you had to do. Your ammo was limited... But you only needed one shot anyway. A prayer and some metal pressed against the temple, and can only hope you won't have to see what he does with your body afterwards. And if he tried to keep you from going the easy way out, you would claw and bite your way to the nearest sharpest object you could find. You wouldn't allow yourself to die in such a way and the altercation with Frank was still fresh in your mind. You wouldn't be caught off-guard again. 

Eddie was in a place all his own. He couldn't help it when he carried his beautiful treasure like this. Bridal style. He had dreamed of a moment like this. He didn't phase him for even a second about the circumstances that led you to be nestled in his arms. He only was overcame with joy as his imagination played games on him again. He could see you in beautiful white gown all his own creation. It took a moment to decide what that gown should look like. He typically loved the frills. The veils and the large ball dresses. But he couldn't see his stunning bride hidden by all that fabric. You deserved something a little understated, only made a sight when you put it on. He could see silk, fitting your form and following only just a tad. He imagined your hair away from your face, leaving your features free of distraction. You would look beautiful no matter the dress, but his daydreaming seems like the only way you would be given justice. For your beauty and your kindness. For your love. He could look down on your face and see only greatness. He isn't sure if he has ever felt like this before, and it was scary. In fact, he imagined this would be the scariest thing he would ever have to face. Being in love. He wonders if this will end like it always does. Treachery and ugly betrayal. He hopes not. He isn't sure if he had the strength to go through that again. 

You hear inmates mumbling and whispering in the darkness, but no one was visible. They wouldn't come out into the hallway, but they couldn't help their curiosity. The further he walked down the corridors, the worst the stench of death. This was the story of an institution that was left to become a slum. You think of the names of other health care facilities that this occured to. The 70s. The 60s. The 40s. But in the 2000s? There was absolutely no excuse. It was a disgusting display of power. To make their money and have no one benefit from it. It left a horrible taste in your mouth. Bastards. 

Eddie suddenly side stepped into a quiet dark room and kneeled down quickly. His arms instinctively wrapped over you, protecting you and keeping you safe. "What--?" A large finger went to press over your lips before moving in the darkness to touch your ear. You stayed silent, only moving slightly so that his elbow wasn't crushing your torn up limb before leaning over slightly and listening. At first the only thing you hear is Eddie's heart pounding behind his shirt. With his leaning over you, sheltering you, and keeping you close, that beat was almost deafening in the heavy silence. You close your eyes in concentration, picking up all the sounds of the wing you both were in. Floors creaking. A pipe is leaking somewhere far off. Someone had padding feet scurry across the floor. Everyone was taking cover. You wonder what was coming that had them so scared. Then you hear it. 

_Thump_

Screaming. Ripping. Gushing. A splash of blood could be heard reddening the doorway you and Eddie were hidden behind. You feel small flecks of something hit your cheeks and you unintentionally clinged to Eddie tighter in the process. In the moment that he adored how you held on to him in safety, for him to be your pillar of strength and protection, it was gone as you carefully wiggled out of his grasp to go to the doorway. His hands remained on you, making sure he could pull you back if you were seen. You eyes peeked out, and you saw him. 

_Chris Walker._

Or what was left of him anyway. You blinked in surprise. Walker definitely died in the outbreak. You saw him get torn into tiny pieces and flung into a wall multiple times. You saw it all on camera so how in God's green earth is he walking then? You inspected him closely, eyeing every detail you could. His skin was an uneven mix of irritated pinks, pale whites, dirty stained brown, and red. So much red. Blood, if you could hazard a guess. Lots of blood. The chains weighed heavy on his wrists. The mutilation was still present on his flesh. He looked the same yet still all wrong. He should be dead. Patient had seemed to catch his eyesight before which explained the noise you both had heard. Obvious by that fact that a headless corpse laid in the middle of the floor. You back up slowly as the giant man continued to look around for something. You moved so that you were sitting on the floor next to your companion and you could see the unease on Eddie's face as he looked out the doorway, lost in thought. Your hand went to his shoulder and you gave it a gentle shake. "Hey," you whispered softly. He turned to look at you, those blue eyes looking dazed. "We need to leave." He nodded obediently and scooped you back up in his arms, a silent wolf. There weren't any scoffs from the heel of his shoe on the tile floor. Not even an extension of breath reaching out into the pungent air. You wrapped your arms around his neck and he gracefully pulled you back up into a bridal carry. He looked around before seeing a door that led to a lab. The only reason he knew it was such is because there was a harsh LED light flickering on and off and briefly illuminating the dirt coated walls. He opened the door silently, turning the knob carefully and then caught the door with the tip of his foot. The two of you entered the room and immediately Eddie ducked below the glass observation wall as he felt the footsteps become closer to you both. You gave a small cry as his elbow went directly into your injured leg, covering your mouth soon afterwards. You both remained completely silent. You kept your hands over your mouth as tears fell from your eyes. _Goddamn did that fuckin hurt._ your brain screamed in agony but you resisted the noises. Those thumping footsteps approached, then silence. It didn't take a genius to tell that Walker was inspecting everything. Taking it all in. Looking for a head to snatch. For a neck to break. You take your hand away from your lips and gently push at his elbow, silently begging him to move it. But he didn't. His eyes were still dazed, almost seeming empty. You tried to wiggle out of his grasp but his hold only tightened in response. "Eddie," you whispered harshly, thrashing in his grasp. 

"You stay right here and do not move, my little lamb. Do. Not. Move." His own voice was harsh, nit as quiet as yours, and filled with several more levels of venom than you had heard from him the entire time in the asylum. Your mouth opened to argue, but you bite your lips together tightly. You stared into his eyes, eyebrows narrowed in anger and confusion, cheeks stained with tears as the light flickered on, off, and then on once again. His own eyes were on fire, something close to fury in those spooky blue irises. It was a stand off. 

"You're hurting my leg, will you take your elbow off it." It was a command. A fierce, unafraid, furious demand. "_Please._" The large man searched your eyes before looking down at your wounded limb. He waited a second, mind obviously turning over thought, before he slowly lifted his arm up and you visibly relaxed. "Thank you." 

"I'm-I'm sorry, my love. I was worried you were trying to use Big Piggy as a distraction. To get away from... Me." His words were self-conscious and shy, his eyes falling from yours to look at your leg. You gave his large shoulder a pat, trying to cool the fire of your anger down at the same time. 

"It's okay, Eddie." Your words were simple, but it seemed to have meant the world to him. He set you down on the floor, looking to the side to see your leg was gushing blood through your clothing. You follow his gaze and sigh quietly. "Well, there's no other door out. We might as well relax until he's gone." You whispered gently, turning your body to rest against the wall. You looked at Eddie, who was still staring at your leg. Maybe it was worry, but that's not what it looked like. It looked like sadism. Looked like he was happy he had caused you to bleed. "Want to help me get this handled?" His head snapped up, confusion evident on his face. It would be good to turn that focus he had to something positive instead of something so fuckin creepy. You put your hand out and beckoned him to hand your backpack to you. He shrugged it off and laid the strap onto your palm. Pulling the heavy bag to you, you opened it and searched inside. You pulled out the same first aid kit that you had used to bandage his fingers. After this, you pulled out the baby wipes. Then finally a small clear bottle. It was maybe the size of canteen, flat like a flask, but the clear plastic allowed him to see the liquid sloshing inside. You pushed the baby wipes and first aid in his direction, him gathering the objects in his lap. You kept the bottle to yourself, shaking hands turning the cap quickly, flicking it off and watching it slide across the floor. You took a large drink, eyes closing as the alcohol slid down your throat and into your stomach. Pulling the bottle away from your mouth, you set it carefully on the ground. Your eyes looked at his, trying to gauge him. _God, this was an awful idea._ You sighed loudly, eyes going down to your lap. "Do you mind, um, just looking away for a second?" The confusion became heavier on his face. "So I can take my pants off..." 

The words took his very breath away. To see your perfection even more in depth? How could he saw no? His head turned and his eyes closed, his heart fluttering in his chest. His treasure's modesty made his heart surge with vile intentions, and he knew that, but it couldn't help but beat with desire for her. To feel her. To fill her. His chest rose and fell rapidly, heart taking over his very thoughts. Love clouded his mind, but he couldn't complain. His had to move his arm to cover his eyes. To refuse the want to look. He needed willpower, now more than ever. 

"You're okay," your voice hummed quietly, and Eddie turned back. His movement was slow, deliberate. Predatory. It made your stomach hurt. Your legs were free of your dark clothing, leaving bruised, scarred, bloodied flesh visible to his hungry eyes. You had stuffed your pants to be in front of your underwear, not wanting to give this fucking maniac anymore access to your body then he needed. Your cheeks and neck were darkened with embarrassment, stained with fresh tears from the pain of pulling the fabric from the gash. It had mangled itself into the cut, leaving a sickening ripping feeling beyond when you had to pull it out. Your forehead was beaded with sweat, visible exhaustion after having to pull your pants off. You looked incredibly beautiful, and his face is in quiet shock. You have gifted him, once again, with yourself. He blinked and his aura turned from needy, creepy love to intense helpfulness in only seconds flat. 

"What can I do for you, darling? Anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask," he answered in a rushed and excited whisper of his own. _Of course you would, you creepy ass._ The inner statement brought a small smirk to your lips but you kept it hidden as you answered him. 

"Clean your hands off with the wipes, as best you can." 

He obeyed eagerly, removing his gloves and cleaning his fingers with detailed attention. The pads, the tips, and under the fingernails were all scrubbed vigorously, the only thing remaining stained with your blood was the bandages you had given him the night before. While you did this, you raised the bottle and took a heavy sip. "After you're done with that, I need you to wipe off the blood and dirt so I can see what we're working with. I'd do it, but my hands are shaking really bad," you asked, tongue licking over your lips and taking in the last of the liquor on your lips before putting your hand out to him. "And let me have one of your gloves, please." He handed you his glove without much thought, eyes focused on your bare leg. 

"Oh darling," he breathed out, "Thank you for trusting me with something so precious." You hummed in response as he began pulling out a couple of the baby wipes and approaching your leg with smooth movements. You put the glove in your mouth, teeth biting into it roughly. You closed your eyes, letting out a slow breath through your nose when you feel the first touch of the wet cloth against your bitter wound. The first few swipes were delicate. Soft, sore, but manageable. There was warmth in the soft caresses. Gentle care. Eddie was enraptured in this action. His attention has never been so focused. Your upper thigh was gorgeous. Flesh smooth as granite and scarred like leather all at once. And the feeling of his fingertips running against your chilled skin sent electricity up his spine. While the gash was ugly and mean, your beautiful legs made it all seem so miniscule. Your gash only proved to enhance his protective nature, and nurture his growing affection all at once. However, as he got closer to your knee, he watched as your muscle flexed and twitched as hot iron searing pain radiated through you. 

Your teeth bite down on his glove, doing your best to stay quiet. Tears streamed down you cheeks and your leg wouldn't stop twitching as Eddie got closer and closer to your knee cap. Frank's weapon of choice, that damned bone saw, must have completely ripped apart cartilage, ligaments, and muscle that made the knee itself work, as well as may have split the entire disk that kept it together in half. Finally Eddie made it to the bend and pressed down on the bloodied stained skin. Your eyes were closed, but somehow you saw a bright white light of pain travel through your across your pupils. You bit down on the leather even harder as agony breathed out your nose in pain-filled puffs. And Eddie, of course, was taking his dear sweet time cleaning your leg. Taking every second like an hour, and you were already regretting even letting him touch you, let alone 'help' you. You could see it. Him in his own head, imagining. 

And he was. He could see it all so clearly. That silky dress, sparkling perfect white against your beautiful complexion. The way it would bunch up around your lap, cloth over your most precious place. But his full attention wouldn't be there, but to the garter he was sliding off your shapely leg. A symbol. It was his. You were his. The wipe turned into that perfectly designed lace, the soft snap of the elastic that kept the garter belt in place on your soft thigh. However, his eyes flickered over to your other thigh. His eyes danced over more evidence of a life lived before he ever came into your life. Old shiny scars. Dips and scrapes that have healed and damaged your skin. But it wasn't those that had captured his attention so intently. "You've got tattoos?" His hand slowly pulled away, tossing the stained cloth away. You relaxed for a moment, eyes fluttering open and looking around. You removed the the glove before you stared into his eyes. They were clouded with several emotions. Mostly anger. Disappointment. 

"One. Yes." 

"Why would you desecrate perfection?" 

"I considered it... An enhancement to the flawed." You had to take a deep inhale between the words, body still tensed, spin to toes, from the pain you had just endured. His eyes narrow for a moment, tongue clicking against the back of his teeth. His eyes looked down, head turning away as he grabbed a new wipe and clenched it in between his large fingers. You quickly put the glove back in between your teeth as he approached your leg with no warning. He began to scrub away the blood much harsher then before. Your eyes continued to streak with tears, fingernails skidding against the broken tile on the floor. The touch was rough like sand paper and it felt like you were being ripped open all over again. Your eyes twitched, face twisted in agony. 

"I don't understand why you would do such a horrible thing, darling! How could you defile yourself?" He hissed, voice still a whisper but tone was vicious. His hand tore past your wound, causing the cut to start bleeding once again. You yelped in pain, glove dropping from your mouth. In a complete reaction, instincts taking over, the foot on your good leg raised, knee bending, pulling back, and kicking his chest roughly. He fell backwards slightly, going from his knees to his bottom, sliding back a few inches. You breathed out, the exhale shaky and frightened. There was heavy silence hanging over the two of you, where you lowered your leg and nothing else. His face took on the image of a mad man, face void of emotion, mouth turned downward into slight frown. His typically slicked black hair was hanging around his face. Your chest was heaving as you stared at him. You don't know what to say. Didn't know what to do.

"Eddie..." Your words were nothing more than a breathy sigh. A whisper of a woman who feared for her life. You had done the one thing you weren't supposed to do.

_Rejection._

His head snapped to look at you fully, face twisted suddenly in ugly rage. His defined nose scrunched close to his cheeks, lips pulled back to bare his teeth. He looked like a rabid dog, face holding hatred. The pause in the very air itself was suffocating. "You ungrateful whore!" His thunderous voice echoed the lab with fury and malice. 

You didn't know what to do. You didn't know what to say. So it surprised even you when your legs scrambled underneath you. 

_And you ran._


End file.
